In the initial text of the Constitution of October 4, 1958, the president was not elected by direct universal suffrage, but by an electoral college, similar to what happens with the presidency of the United States.
This college is made up of deputies, senators, general councilors, members of the assemblies of the Overseas territories (those that are far from continental French territory), representatives of the municipal councils and had a little more than 80,000 great voters.
In the constitutional revision of November 6, 1962, the election by direct universal suffrage was instituted. This reform was accepted by the French by a referendum, where 62% of the French voted yes.
The first presidential election by direct universal suffrage took place in 1965. In these elections, General Chales de Gaulle and François Mitterrand, the only candidate of the left, faced each other. De Gaulle prevailed with 55.2% of the votes.
How does the second electoral round work in France?
To be elected, the candidate must win an absolute majority of the votes cast, that is, he must win more than half of the votes, plus one, minimum.
If this majority is not obtained by any candidate in the first residential round —which has been the case in two presidential elections of the French Fifth Republic to this day—, there is a second round or ballot, which takes place two weeks later.
In that case, the two candidates who have obtained the most votes in the first round remain in contention.
With information from AFP