A substitute is a political candidate who is not directly elected, but who succeeds a politician holding an elected office after that person ceases to hold the office due to, for example, resignation or death. This system can be used as opposed to holding

by-election A by-election, also known as a special election in the United States and the Philippines, a bye-election in Ireland, a bypoll in India, or a Zimni election (Urdu: ضمنی انتخاب, supplementary election) in Pakistan, is an election used to f ...

s or special elections to fill the vacant office.

Belgium

In Belgium, each electoral list has both a list of "effective" candidates and a list of "substitutes" ( nl, opvolgers; french: suppléants). The system was introduced as part of the law of 29 December 1899 introducing proportional representation. Before that,

s were held to succeed members.

France

In the elections for the

French National Assembly The National Assembly (french: link=no, italics=set, Assemblée nationale; ) is the lower house of the bicameral French Parliament under the Fifth Republic, the upper house being the Senate (). The National Assembly's legislators are known a ...

, each candidate nominates a substitute (french: Suppléant), who assumes the functions of the elected deputy if they die, enter the executive government, if the Government appoints them to an assignment of more than six months' duration, or if they are appointed to the

Constitutional Council Constitutional Council might refer to: * Constitutional Council (Chad) * Constitutional Council (France) * Constitutional Council (Ivory Coast) * Constitutional Council (Sri Lanka) * Constitutional Council (Cambodia) * Constitutional Council (Kaz ...

or ''Defender of Rights'' (''Défenseur des droits''). If the deputy resigns, or their election is determined to be invalid, a

(french: élections legislatives partielles) is held instead. The Electoral Code does not provide for any age restriction to be appointed alternate. For the Fourteenth Legislature (2012 - 2017), the youngest Deputy-Substitute in France was

Nicolas Brien Nicolas or Nicolás may refer to: People Given name * Nicolas (given name) Mononym * Nicolas (footballer, born 1999), Brazilian footballer * Nicolas (footballer, born 2000), Brazilian footballer Surname Nicolas * Dafydd Nicolas (c.1705–1774), ...

, born in 1989, who was elected in Allier's 2nd constituency.

Examples

;2017 *

Élise Fajgeles Élise Fajgeles (born 6 July 1970) is a French politician who served as the member of the National Assembly for the 5th constituency of Paris from 2017 to 2019. A member of La République En Marche! (LREM), she replaced Benjamin Griveaux as hi ...

replaced Benjamin Griveaux when he was appointed Secretary of State to the Minister of the Economy and Finance on 22 July 2017. * Grégory Galbadon replaced Stéphane Travert when he was appointed

Minister of Agriculture An agriculture ministry (also called an) agriculture department, agriculture board, agriculture council, or agriculture agency, or ministry of rural development) is a ministry charged with agriculture. The ministry is often headed by a minister f ...

on 22 July 2017 ;2018 * Jean-Louis Thiériot replaced

Yves Jégo Yves Jégo (; born 17 April 1961) is a French politician. He was '' député'' for the third constituency of Seine-et-Marne in the National Assembly from 2002 to 2018, and Mayor of Montereau-Fault-Yonne. He was the general delegate of the U ...

in Seine-et-Marne's 3rd constituency. ;2019 *

Stéphanie Atger Stéphanie Atger (born 11 October 1975) is a French politician of La République En Marche! (LREM) who has been a member of the National Assembly since 2019, representing Essonne's 6th constituency. Political career Atger became a member of ...

replaced

Amélie de Montchalin Amélie de Montchalin (née Bommier, born 19 June 1985) is a French politician who has been serving as Minister for Ecological Transition and Territorial Cohesion in the government of Prime Minister Élisabeth Borne in 2022. De Montchalin pr ...

when she was appointed Minister of Europe and Foreign Affairs. ;2020 * Sandra Boëlle replaced Claude Goasguen in Paris's 14th constituency when he died. *

Nicolas Meizonnet Nicolas Jérôme Grégoire Meizonnet-Bérenguier (born 22 December 1983) is a French politician serving as the member of the National Assembly for the 2nd constituency of Gard since 1 February 2020. A member of the National Rally (RN), he has ...

replaced

Gilbert Collard Gilbert Georges Jean Camille René Collard (; born 3 February 1948) is a French writer, barrister and politician serving as a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) since 2019. A member of the National Rally (RN) until 2022, he was a member of t ...

in Gard's 2nd constituency when he was elected to the

European Parliament The European Parliament (EP) is one of the legislative bodies of the European Union and one of its seven institutions. Together with the Council of the European Union (known as the Council and informally as the Council of Ministers), it adopts ...

. ;2021 * Maud Gatel replaced

Marielle de Sarnez Marielle de Sarnez (; 27 March 195113 January 2021) was a French politician who served as Secretary of State for European Affairs under Prime Minister Édouard Philippe. A member of the Union for French Democracy (UDF) until 2008 when she join ...

in Paris's 11th constituency when she died

References

{{Reflist Politics Elections