Requirement to hold a hearing

Contrary the legislation regarding parliamentary andsenatorial elections, the Decree that rules on Presidential elections (Decret2001-213) sheds no additional light on how the registered electoral disputes shouldbe processed.  However, we did found thatthe report developed by the Constitutional Council about the 2012 French Presidentialelections (Observations sur l??lection pr?sidentielle des 22avril et 6 Mai 2012) used the general electoral Law (Code Electoral) when referring to all electoraldisputes. As such, the questionnaire was filled according to such references.  Nevertheless, in thecase of the presidential election, as far as our research uncovered, there wasno specific codification regarding the possibility of annulling the electionaltogether as a result of any particular complaint. That possibility exists,indirectly, if any given candidate is declared ineligible or fails to fulfilthe regulations regarding electoral financing campaigning.   

Ordonnance n? 58-1067 du 7 novembre 1958portant loi organique sur le Conseil constitutionnel (Versionconsolid?e au 20 avril 2011) [Ordinance No 58-1067, 7 November 1958, Constitutional Council Organic Law; consolidatedversion of 20 April 2011].

21 April 2011

Art. 42

Le Conseil et les sections peuvent, le cas ?ch?ant, ordonner une enqu?teet se faire communiquer tous documents et rapports ayant trait ? l'?lectionnotamment les comptes de campagne ?tablis par les candidats int?ress?s, ainsique l'ensemble des documents, rapports et d?cisions ?ventuellement r?unis ou?tablis par la commission institu?e par l'article L. 52-14 du code ?lectoral.

The Council and its sections may, if necessary, order an investigation(inquiry) and obtain all documents and reports relating to the particularelection campaign accounts established by the interested applicants, as well asall documents, reports and decisions eventually gathered or prepared by theCommittee established by Article L. 52-14 of the Electoral Code.

http://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/affichTexte.do?cidTexte=LEGITEXT000006069199

PLUS(or in the following of)

D?cision n? 2013 - 126 ORGA

Modification du r?glement applicable ? la proc?duresuivie devant le Conseil constitutionnel pour le contentieux de l??lection des d?put?set des s?nateurs (Consolidation)

Art. 15

Lorsqu'en applicationdes dispositions de l'article 42 de l'ordonnance du 7 novembre 1958 une enqu?teest ordonn?e par d?cision de la section ou du Conseil, cette d?cision doitmentionner:

- les faits ? prouver;

- le nom durapporteur commis pour recevoir sous serment les d?positions des t?moins ;

- l'?num?ration dest?moins qui doivent ?tre entendus, ? moins que la section ou le Conseil nelaissent ? cet ?gard toute latitude au rapporteur.

Where, pursuing theprovisions of Article 42 from the 7^th of November 1958 Ordinance, aninvestigation is ordered by decision of the section or the Council, thisdecision shall specify:

- The facts to beproved;

- The name of therapporteur committed to receive the sworn testimony of witnesses;

- The list ofwitnesses to be heard, unless the section or the Council leaves that discretionto the rapporteur.

http://www.conseil-constitutionnel.fr/conseil-constitutionnel/root/bank/download/2013126ORGAlex.pdf