65


CONTEJIPORARY  FRENCH  POLITICS

tions  are  seldom  used  raercl}^  to  obtain  information;
they  more  often  constitute  a  challenge  to  a  debate  in
which  all  members  of  the  Chamber  and  of  the  Ministry
may  participate.  Originating  in  technical  and  unim-
portant matters,  such  discussions  often  end  in  the  over-
throw of  the  Grovernment.  An  interpellation  is  made  in
writing  and  it  becomes  a  special  order  of  the  day,  the
time  for  the  debate  it  provokes  being  definitely  set  in
advance.  After  such  a  debate — in  which  the  inter-
pellators  may  place  the  IMinister  under  a  grueling  ex-
amination, which  is  limited  by  no  restriction  of  time
— the  vote  ''of  the  order  of  the  day"  is  taken.  This
vote  usually  includes  an  expression  of  confidence  in  the
Government.  For  example,  last  June  (1919),  after  an
interpellation  in  which  certain  members  of  the  Chamber
questioned  the  Government  as  to  searching  certain  of-
fices, the  Chamber  passed  the  following  order  of  the  day :

The  Chamber,  respectine:  the  guiding  principle  of  the  sepa-
ration of  powers  and  confident  that  the  Government  will  allow
justice  to  follow  its  course  in  full  independence,  passes  to  the
order  of  the  day.
If  the  Chamber  refuses  to  pass  such  a  motion,  "lack
of  confidence"  is  expressed  and  the  Minister  individ-
ually, if  not  the  cabinet  collectively,  is  bound  to  resign.
The  latter  result  may  be  avoided,  if  a  new  IMinister  is
appointed  who  will  conform  to  the  Chamber's  wishes.
The  order  of  the  day  imr  ct  simple  is  a  vote  which  neither
censures  nor  praises  the  (Jovernment,  but  wliich  proceeds  to  the
other  business  of  the  Assembly  without  comment.
The  order  of  the  day  motive  expresses  a  definite  opinion  upon
the  interpellation;  i.e.,  it  either  exonerates  or  condemns  the
government  policy  under   debate.
