Réunion Réunion (; french: La Réunion, ; previously ''Île Bourbon''; rcf, label= Reunionese Creole, La Rényon) is an island in the Indian Ocean that is an overseas department and region of France. It is located approximately east of the island ...

is an overseas département of France. The island's conventional name is the ''Department of Réunion'', or ''Réunion''. The French flag is used on the island. The island's capital is Saint-Denis, and the island is divided into 4 arrondissements, 24 communes and 25

canton Canton may refer to: Administrative division terminology * Canton (administrative division), territorial/administrative division in some countries, notably Switzerland * Township (Canada), known as ''canton'' in Canadian French Arts and ent ...

s. Réunion is governed by French law under Article 73 of the

Constitution of France The current Constitution of France was adopted on 4 October 1958. It is typically called the Constitution of the Fifth Republic , and it replaced the Constitution of the Fourth Republic of 1946 with the exception of the preamble per a Constitu ...

, under which the laws and regulations are applicable as of right, as in metropolitan France. Suffrage is granted universally to all those over the age of 18.

Executive branch

The chief of state is the French President

Emmanuel Macron Emmanuel Macron (; born 21 December 1977) is a French politician who has served as President of France since 2017. ''Ex officio'', he is also one of the two Co-Princes of Andorra. Prior to his presidency, Macron served as Minister of Econ ...

, who is represented by Prefect Jerome Filippini. The president of the

General Council General council may refer to: In education: * General Council (Scottish university), an advisory body to each of the ancient universities of Scotland * General Council of the University of St Andrews, the corporate body of all graduates and senio ...

, who acts as head of the government, is Cyrille Melchior. The President of the

Regional Council Regional Council may refer to: * Regional Council (Hong Kong), disbanded in 1999 ** Regional Council (constituency) Regional council may refer to: * Regional council (Cameroon) * Regional council (France), the elected assembly of a region of Fra ...

Huguette Bello Huguette Bello (born 24 August 1950) is a French politician from Réunion. A former member of the Reunionese Communist Party (PCR), she split with the Communists in 2012 and formed her own party, For Réunion (French: ''Pour la Réunion'', P ...

. Elections held in Réunion include the French presidential vote. A prefect is appointed by the president on the advice of the

French Ministry of the Interior Minister of the Interior (french: Ministre de l'Intérieur; ) is a prominent position in the Government of France. The position is equivalent to the interior minister in other countries, like the Home Secretary in the United Kingdom, the Minis ...

. The presidents of the General and Regional Councils are elected by members of those councils.

Legislative branch

The unicameral Departmental Council has 50 seats (since 4.2015). The unicameral Regional Council has 45 seats. Members of both are elected by

direct election Direct election is a system of choosing political officeholders in which the voters directly cast ballots for the persons or political party that they desire to see elected. The method by which the winner or winners of a direct election are cho ...

for six-year terms.

Composition

Deputies

Réunion elects seven deputies to the National Assembly for five-year terms.

Senators

Réunion elects four senators to the

Senate A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior (Latin: ''senex'' meaning "the el ...

for six-year terms.

European Parliament

Réunion participates in French elections to the European Parliament as a part of the Indian Ocean section of the Overseas constituency, which also includes Mayotte.

Younous Omarjee Younous Omarjee (born 30 September 1969 in Saint-Denis, Réunion) is a French politician who has been serving as a Member of the European Parliament since 4 January 2012. He sits with the Confederal Group of the European United Left - Nordic G ...

, from Réunion, is one of the three

MEPs A Member of the European Parliament (MEP) is a person who has been elected to serve as a popular representative in the European Parliament. When the European Parliament (then known as the Common Assembly of the ECSC) first met in 1952, its ...

representing the constituency.

Judicial branch

The Judicial branch of the overseas département is run by the Cour d'Appel (Court of Appeals).

International organization participation

Reunion is a member in the Indian Ocean Commission (InOC) since 1986, and of the World Federation of Trade Unions.

References

{{Authority control Réunion