# French Labour Court elections

The French Labour Court elections (French: Élections prud'homales françaises) were held every five years to elect the lay judges, known as conseillers prud'homaux, who arbitrated individual labor disputes within the Conseil de prud'hommes (French Labour Court), a specialized court tasked with resolving conflicts between employees and employers governed by labor law.
The elections were abolished in 2014, with the last elections having taken place in 2008, and the final elected mandate of councilors concluding on December 31, 2017.

## Purpose

The Labor Court elections served as a mechanism to select nearly 15,000 lay judges who represented the interests of both employees and employers in disputes over employment contracts, dismissals, or other labor-related conflicts. The elections were also a means to measure the influence of trade unions and employer organizations based on their electoral support.

## Election Process

The elections were organized as proportional representation lists, with separate colleges for employees and employers. The employee college consisted of candidates representing trade unions, while employer organizations fielded candidates for the employer college. Voting was open to individuals aged 16 or older who were employed or job-seeking under the French labor code, including foreign workers.
The elected councilors served a five-year term, with the presidency and vice-presidency of the courts alternating annually between representatives of employees and employers to maintain parity.

## 2008 elections

The 2008 Labor Court elections marked the last instance of this electoral process. Voter turnout was notably low, with 74.5% of employees and 68.5% of employers abstaining from voting. This low participation, along with the high costs of organizing the elections (estimated at €91.6 million), contributed to calls for reform.

## Abolition of Elections

In 2014, the French Parliament passed a law abolishing the direct election of labor court councilors. Starting in 2018, councilors were appointed jointly by the minister of justice and the minister of labor, based on lists submitted by representative professional organizations. This change followed a transitional period that extended the mandate of the 2008-elected councilors until December 31, 2017.
The abolition was part of broader labor reforms aimed at simplifying administrative processes and reducing costs.

### Employee College past Results

All sections combined, as a percentage of votes cast. Ranking: 2008
| Trade Union Organizations | 1987 | 1992 | 1997 | 2002 | 2008 |
| CGT | 36.35 | 33.35 | 33.11 | 32.13 | 34.00 % |
| CFDT | 23.06 | 23.81 | 25.35 | 25.23 | 21.81 % |
| CGT-FO | 20.50 | 20.46 | 20.55 | 18.28 | 15.81 % |
| CFTC | 8.30 | 8.58 | 7.53 | 9.65 | 8.69 % |
| CFE-CGC | 7.44 | 6.95 | 5.93 | 7.01 | 8.19 % |
| UNSA | – | 0.14 | 0.72 | 4.99 | 6.25 % |
| Solidaires | – | 0.45 | 0.32 | 1.51 | 3.82 % |
| CSL (dissolved in 2002) | 2.30 | 4.40 | 4.22 | – | – |
| FGSOA | 0.21 | – | – | – | – |
| Other | 1.84 | 1.81 | 2.27 | 1.19 | 1.42 % |
The Groupe des Dix, now known as Union syndicale Solidaires, is an interprofessional union alliance that includes unions such as the SNJ, SNUI, and the SUD unions.

## Legacy

The Labor Court elections were historically significant as a reflection of labor relations and trade union strength in France. Despite their discontinuation, the Conseil de prud'hommes continues to operate as a key institution for resolving individual labor disputes, with councilors now selected through a nomination process.