In which French city does the Council of Europe meet? The European Parliament no longer wants to roam

european palace, located in the center of the quarter of the same name, every traveler can recognize almost immediately. The palace, built in 1975, is a quadrangular building made of pink sandstone, steel structures and glass. In front of the main entrance to the European Palace, many flags belonging to states that are members of the Council of Europe flutter proudly.

In the northern part of Strasbourg, where the noisy waters of the Ile River fill the Marne-Rhine Canal, lies the European Quarter. There are modern majestic buildings here, near which you can see black and white swans floating in the canal. These buildings, erected in a modern architectural style, house the most important administrative institutions of the European Union, which are becoming more and more numerous in Strasbourg. A small city at the junction of France and Germany, which is not the capital of the state, has long received privileges to host the headquarters of various international organizations along with Geneva and New York.

The European Palace, located in the center of the quarter of the same name, every traveler can recognize almost immediately. The palace, built in 1975, is a quadrangular building made of pink sandstone, steel structures and glass. In front of the main entrance to the European Palace, many flags belonging to states that are members of the Council of Europe flutter proudly. The main part of the palace is made in the form of a spacious amphitheater, around which the architectural design is based. inner space, and from the building of the palace you can go to the picturesque inner squares.

european palace in Strasbourg was specially built for the work of the Council of Europe founded in 1949 - the first international history parliamentary assembly, created with the aim of the closest cooperation between European states, whose policy is based on the observance of all human rights. Since 1958, Strasbourg has been a city where meetings of the International Assembly of the European Community are regularly held. This institution has now been transformed into European Parliament whose members are elected by popular vote. The decision to host a new EU institution in the city was made back in 1992, during an international meeting in Edinburgh.
Immediately after this, the construction of the building of the European Parliament began with a new meeting room, since before both the European Parliament and the Council of Europe used only one meeting room located in the European Palace. The architectural company Architecture Studio worked on the construction of the new palace, which had previously successfully completed the project of creating the Institute located in Paris Arab world. The finishing work on the European Parliament building has only recently been completed.

The majestic curved facade is amazing, with its outlines it repeats the curve of the banks of the Ile River and the artificial Marne-Rhine Canal. The mirror sparkling tower is beautifully reflected in the waters of the river, and in its elements you can see the reflection of the majestic Strasbourg cathedral. Despite the modern architectural style, the building of the European Parliament is not an example of monumentalism, its elements combine the shapes of the Keplerian ellipse and the Galilean circle. An architectural ensemble covering an area of ​​two hundred thousand square meters, includes six separate buildings. They are adjacent to the picturesque body of water canals and rivers, their well-maintained embankments, pedestrian galleries and green spaces.

In the center of the European Parliament complex there is a spacious meeting room, designed for 750 seats, where deputies vote, the most important decisions for Europe are made, and official debates are held. Even walking along the embankment of the river Ile, one can easily distinguish the place where the meeting room is located - a majestic dome made of solid oak rises above it. The area of ​​the dome itself is more than eight thousand square meters. The hall, reminiscent of the Greek Amphitheater, is in harmony with the general arched shape of the administrative building, where other spacious rooms for meetings and official negotiations are located.

And nearby you can see a sixty-meter building resembling a tower, inside of which more than a thousand office spaces are equipped. There are also restaurants, and halls for working meetings, rooms for press releases, official receptions. Four separate buildings were also erected for parliamentarians, they were built as a continuation of the building of the European Palace, the official abbreviation IPE, which stands for the European Parliament, is mentioned for their designation, these buildings are characterized by dark tones of facades.

There is a majestic building in the European Quarter in Strasbourg European Court of Justice, which deals with the most important cases related to human rights and their observance. But in order to apply to an international court, a person who has become a victim of actions condemned by the European Convention on Human Rights must use all legal means to protect his interests in the country of residence and its courts. An application to the European Court of Justice for consideration of complaints is accepted only from citizens of countries where this convention has been ratified.

In 1995 another international building was opened in Strasbourg - Palace of Human Rights, designed by Richard Rogers. This architect, before working on this grandiose project, developed projects for an office building in London for and. Richard Rogers imagined the building of the Palace of Human Rights as a ship sailing on the waves. The two meeting towers, built of pink Vosges sandstone, are shaped like pipes, and the connecting parts of the architectural ensemble are made of metal structures and light transparent glass. Indeed, the Palace of Human Rights is very reminiscent of an ocean liner that is about to go on a long voyage.

Svetlana

Andrey Dvorenkov

Round 1

Is Siqueiros a Spanish or Mexican painter?

Andrew's answer: Mexican

How many minutes are in one hour?

Julia's answer: 60

Pavel puts in the bank 2000 rub.

Name the highest order of the British crown, the motto of which is: "Shame on him who thinks ill of this!".

Order of the Garter

Name the Russian mathematician who in 1826 announced the birth of a new geometry called non-Euclidean.

Nikolai Lobachevsky

To which language group include Moldovan and French and?

Svetlana passes. Correct answer: Roman group

Zoology: what family of the chicken order does the peacock belong to?

Marina's answer: Partridge Correct answer: Pheasant

Name the city in the Moscow region where the International Joint Institute for Nuclear Research is located.

Hope's answer: Korolev Correct answer: Dubna

In what river, according to New Testament tradition, was Jesus Christ baptized?

Jordan

Which writer was born earlier: Tolstoy or Dostoevsky?

Andrew's answer: Dostoevsky

Julia replenishes the bank with 1,000 rubles. Total 3 000 rub.

In which country was the world's first supersonic passenger aircraft created: in the USSR or the USA?

Julia's answer: IN USSR

Pavel banks. Team 4 000 rub.

What is the name of a feral domestic horse in North America?

Paul's answer: Mustang

What is the name of the river that flows along the border between Afghanistan and Uzbekistan?

Igor passes. Correct answer: Amu Darya

What houseplant is otherwise called pelargonium: geranium or begonia?

Svetlana's answer: Geranium

Timpani - a wind or percussion instrument?

Marina's answer: Shock

What is the name of school subject studying the structure and development of cosmic bodies and the universe as a whole?

Hope's answer: Astronomy

What did Hermes, the patron of shepherds and travelers, receive from Apollo in exchange for the lyre?

Sergey's answer: Sandals Correct answer: golden wand

Andrew's answer: Charles Dickens

Name a famous Greek mathematician who was assassinated in 212 BC. e. during the defense of Syracuse.

Julia's answer: Archimedes

Pavel increases the team's payoff to 11 000 rub.

What is another name for the herb maun, from the roots of which medicinal sedative preparations are obtained?

Pavel passes. Correct answer: Valerian

What is the name of a type of aircraft with two wings located one above the other?

Igor's answer: Biplane

Svetlana replenishes the bank. Now there 12 000 rub.

What is the name of refined sugar in lumps?

Svetlana's answer: Rafinade

Marina puts 1,000 rubles in the bank. Total 13 000 rub.

Name the country whose temporary capital is Abu Dhabi.

Marina's answer: Algeria Correct answer: UAE

Name the eighth planet solar system, which was discovered in 1846 by the German astronomer Johann Galle.

Hope does not have time to answer. Correct answer: Neptune

During this round, the team earned 13 000 rub.

According to statistics, the strong link is Julia. Weak link - Sergey.
However, the team decides to kick Paul, and he leaves the game.

Round 2

The total winnings are 13 000 rub.

What is the name of a duel with the use of weapons between two persons on the call of one of them?

Julia's answer: Duel

With which state early XVII century, Russia waged the so-called Smolensk War?

Igor passes. Correct answer: with Poland

Name the planet in the solar system that has the longest orbit of rotation.

Svetlana's answer: Mercury Correct answer: Pluto

What is the stage name of the famous French pop singer Edith Gasion.

Marina's answer: Edith Piaf

Prometheus is a hero of Greek or Roman mythology?

Hope's answer: Greek

Sergey topped up the bank 2 000 rub.

What, according to a Russian proverb, burns on a thief?

Sergey's answer: A cap

Name the continent on which the Kilimanjaro volcanic massif is located.

Andrew's answer: Africa

Julia doubles the pot. New amount - 4 000 rub.

What is the name of the species of organisms that live around the globe in biology?

Julia's answer: Microbes Correct answer: Cosmopolitans

Igor's answer: Alexandra Pakhmutova Correct answer: Andrey Petrov

What was the name of the Red Army in 1946?

Svetlana's answer: Soviet army

Who is the head of state of Luxembourg - the prince or the grand duke?

Marina's answer: Grand Duke

Hope adds another 2,000 rubles. Total 6 000 rub.

The name of what kind of art is translated from Greek as "spectacle"?

Hope's answer: Drama Correct answer: Theatre

Is Igarka the name of a city or a lake?

Sergey's answer: lakes Correct answer: Cities

Which substance is explosive - TNT or toluene?

Andrew's answer: TNT

Julia puts 1,000 rubles in the bank. Total team earned 7 000 rub.

Which ancient Greek poet is said to have been a blind, wandering singer?

Julia's answer: Homer

What character in the cartoon about Carlson was voiced by Faina Ranevskaya?

Igor's answer: Freken Bock

The last 2 answers bring the team 2,000 rubles. Svetlana replenishes the bank with them 9 000 rub.

What season of the year, according to neo-Confucianism, corresponded to the concept of "wisdom": winter or summer?

Svetlana's answer: Winter

What is the name of the orange-yellow plant pigments, which in the human body serve as a source of vitamin A synthesis?

Marina's answer: Carotene

Say in Greek: "I found!"

Hope is fading. Correct answer: "Eureka!"

What country is Notre Dame de Paris in?

Sergey's answer: France

How does the Russian proverb begin, which ends with the words: “... she won’t bring a pie”?

Andrew's answer: "Hunger is not an aunt ..."

Julia last time replenishes the bank per round. The team managed to earn only 11 000 rub.

In which French city Do the Council of Europe and the European Parliament sit?

Julia does not have time to answer. Correct answer: Strasbourg

This time the team played even worse, earning 11 000 rub.

Andrey is the strong link, while Igor is the weak link.
Question about "Eureka!" became for hopes fatal: the team chose her.

Round 3

Team at the bank 24 000 rub.

Name Tchaikovsky's opera based on Pushkin's Poltava.

Andrew's answer: "Ruslan and Ludmila" Correct answer: "Mazepa"

Name the character in Alice's Adventures in Wonderland whose smile was left hanging in the air after he disappeared.

Julia's answer: Cheshire Cat

Name a country where a man is politely addressed as "effendi".

Igor's answer: Afghanistan Correct answer: Turkey

What kind of judge in boxing is called a referee: side or in the ring?

Svetlana's answer: In the ring

Marina passes. Correct answer: Rastrelli

What is the name of government agency who handles criminal and civil cases and administers justice?

Sergey's answer: Court

Where was the god of the kingdom of the dead called Anubis: in ancient Greece or in Egypt?

Andrew's answer: In Egypt

Julia opens the bank of this round by putting 2 000 rub.

Which member of the Beatles was the drummer: Ringo Starr or Paul McCartney?

Julia's answer: Ringo Starr

What is the name of a self-propelled, self-guided and homing underwater projectile?

Igor's answer: Torpedo

Svetlana adds another 2,000 rubles. Now the team 4 000 rub.

On the eve of what holiday does the novel "Purely English Murder" take place?

Svetlana's answer: Christmas

Name the country where the kiwi bird lives.

Marina's answer: Australia Correct answer: New Zealand

Which common name have all ground substances of increased hardness, which are used for mechanical surface treatment?

Sergey's answer: Abrasive

Andrei banks. Win increased to 5 000 rub.

What melee weapon is used to perform the famous dance in Khachaturian's ballet "Gayane"?

Andrew's answer: Saber

Another 1,000 rubles. adds Julia. Total 6 000 rub.

What is the name of the genre of American cinema that tells about the first settlers of the western regions of America?

Julia's answer: Western

What is the name of a note sign that means a break in the sound of one or more voices of a piece of music?

Igor's answer: Flat Correct answer: Pause

Name the fifth month of the calendar year.

Svetlana's answer: May

Marina increases the winnings by another 1,000 rubles. Total earned 7 000 rub.

What is the name of top part head from crown to forehead?

Marina's answer: crown Correct answer: Crown

The name of which trend in the Western European theater of the second half of the 20th century comes from the Latin word "absurd"?

Sergei passes. Correct answer: Absurd

Together put into the bank 7 000 rub.

Julia is the strongest player again. The weak link is Marina. The team's opinion coincides with the statistics: Marina leaves the studio.

Round 4

So far, the team has managed to win 31 000 rub.

In what century was the Russian painter Nicholas Roerich born?

Julia's answer: In the 19th century

To which European country before 1962 belonged to Algeria?

Igor's answer: France

What is the name of the conductor - the head of the military brass band?

Svetlana's answer: Choirmaster Correct answer: Bandmaster

In which country were small-time knights called hidalgos?

Sergey's answer: Spain

Name the film studio where directors Eisenstein, Pudovkin, Dovzhenko worked.

Andrew's answer: Mosfilm

Julia saves the team's earnings 2 000 rub.

What is the name of any building in architecture, the height of which is much greater than its horizontal dimensions?

Julia's answer: Skyscraper Correct answer: Tower

The names of what pathogens in translation from Latin mean "poison"?

Igor's answer: Virus

Which sport is divided into freestyle and Greco-Roman?

Svetlana's answer: Fight

Name the monetary unit of Poland.

Sergey's answer: Crown Correct answer: Zloty

Name the king of Israel who owns the texts collected in the biblical book of the Song of Songs.

Andrew's answer: David Correct answer: Solomon

What is the name of Valery Gavrilin's ballet based on Chekhov's story "Anna on the Neck"?

Julia's answer: "Anna" Correct answer: "Anyuta"

Which volcano erupted in 79 CE? e. Roman scientist Pliny the Elder died?

Igor's answer: Etna Correct answer: Vesuvius

Name the playwright whose play formed the basis of Mark Zakharov's film "An Ordinary Miracle".

Svetlana's answer: Anton Chekhov Correct answer: Evgeny Schwartz

In which city's museum is the famous Kon-Tiki raft located?

Sergey's answer: Paris Correct answer: Oslo

What sports game invented in 1891 by the American teacher James Naismith?

Andrew's answer: Basketball

Julia banks. The team now 5 000 rub.

What special indoors used for target practice with handguns?

Julia's answer: Tyr

Which day of the week started on Saturday in the title famous work brothers Strugatsky?

Igor's answer: Monday

Time is up, and Svetlana does not have time to replenish the bank.

The players managed to earn 5 000 rub.

According to statistics, Igor is already a strong link, and Svetlana is a weak link.
The team thinks so: Svetlana out.

Round 5

The bank has accumulated 36 000 rub.

Name the actor who played the role of Ogurtsov in Eldar Ryazanov's film "Carnival Night".

Igor's answer: Igor Ilyinsky

On the territory of which state are the cities of Gomel and Grodno located?

Sergey's answer: Belarus

(The recording is missing a fragment. Recording resumes when there are 53 seconds left in the round, and the bank 3 000 rub).

From which Moscow station do trains leave for Rome, Istanbul and Athens: from Kievsky or from Belorussky?

Igor's answer: From Belarusian Correct answer: From Kiev

What role did actors Sean Connery, Roger Moore and Timothy Dalton play in their time?

Sergey's answer: James Bond

Before the beginning of the 20th century, what was the name of the protective armament of heavy cavalry, consisting of two metal plates, curved in the shape of the back and chest?

Andrew's answer: Terrace

Julia increases the gain to 5 000 rub.

Name the English scientist and writer - the author of the Lord of the Rings trilogy.

Julia passes. Correct answer: John Tolkien

Name the film by Leonid Bykov, in which the composer Novikov's song "Smuglyanka" was performed.

Igor's answer: “Only ‘old men’ go into battle”

Sergey replenishes the bank. Total team in this round 6 000 rub.

(Sergey gives the wrong answer to the question.)

How in card game call the black suit with the image of a spearhead?

Andrew's answer: Pika

Julia puts the last 1,000 rubles in the bank. Team win - 7000 rub.
Igor showed himself again with better side. And Julia is already a weak link, according to statistics. By decision of the team, Julia leaves the game.

Round 6

In the general piggy bank 43 000 rub.

Under what Russian tsar was St. Basil's Cathedral built in Moscow?

Igor's answer: Alexey Mikhailovich Correct answer: Ivan the Terrible

Who from Russian actors played Marshal Zhukov in twelve films and Lenin in six?

Sergey's answer: Mikhail Ulyanov

What is the name of the area of ​​the desert in which there are sources of fresh water?

Andrew's answer: Oasis

Igor saves in the bank 2 000 rub.

What color does indigo dye give - blue or green?

Igor's answer: Blue

How many lines are in a classic sonnet?

Sergey's answer: 8 Correct answer: 14

Which islands are pacific ocean have a second name "Sandwich Islands"?

Andrew's answer: Tuamotu Correct answer: Hawaiian

What were the names of various settlements in the Russian state of the 11th-17th centuries, the population of which was temporarily exempted from state duties?

Igor's answer: Vyselki Correct answer: Sloboda

What are the names of ancient Icelandic prose tales and legends whose authorship has not been established?

Sergei passes. Correct answer: Sagas

Who, according to the Laurentian Chronicle, came to reign in the ancient Beloozero: Rurik or Sineus?

Andrew's answer: Rurik Correct answer: Sineus

What is the name of a bar of baked clay, one of the main materials in construction?

Igor's answer: Brick

In which city is the famous Dneproges located: in Zaporozhye or Dnepropetrovsk?

Sergey's answer: In Zaporozhye

Andrei banks. The team has twice as much as it was - 4 000 rub.

How many buckets were contained in a barrel, according to the Russian system of measures?

Andrew's answer: 12 Correct answer: 40

Which city is located to the north: Norilsk or Yakutsk?

Igor's answer: Yakutsk Correct answer: Norilsk

Name the metal for which sample No. 925 is established.

Sergey's answer: Silver

Name the director of the film "Moscow does not believe in tears."

Andrew's answer: Vladimir Menshov

For the whole round, the team received an amount of 4 000 rub.
Sergey suddenly becomes a strong link, and Igor again plays the worst.
His rivals unanimously decide to kick him out. Igor leaves the game.

Round 7

Before the last round, the payoff is 47 000 rub.

What city is Ernest Hemingway's book A Holiday That Is Always With You dedicated to?

Sergey's answer: Havana Correct answer: Paris

In which country did the letka-enka dance originate?

Andrew's answer: Finland

What was the name of the portable gramophone produced by the French firm Pathé?

Sergey's answer: Gramophone

Andrei lays down 2 000 rub. to the bank.

What month in Russia was called "stubble": August or September?

Andrew's answer: August

Sergey adds another 1,000 rubles. Now in the bank 3 000 rub.

What is the name of the back of the garment?

Sergey's answer: wrong side

What was the main writing material of the ancient Egyptians: clay tablets or papyrus?

Andrew's answer: Papyrus

Sergey decides to increase the winnings. New amount in the bank - 5 000 rub.

What is the name in architecture of a glazed straight, semicircular or multifaceted ledge in the outer wall of a building?

Sergey's answer: Bay window

What is the name of the old hand firearms matchlock: musket or arquebus?

Andrew's answer: Arquebus. Correct answer: Musket

AT tsarist army Was the rank of captain higher or lower than captain?

Sergey's answer: Below

What is the name of the domed dwelling of the Indians North America made from skin, branches and bark?

Andrew's answer: wigwam

Sergey adds another 2,000 rubles. Now in the bank 7 000 rub.

Name the novel by Alexander Fadeev, in which he spoke about the feat of the young Krasnodon heroes.

Sergey's answer: "Young guard"

What is the Qur'an's name for the fantastic creature of pure smokeless fire created by Allah?

Andrew passes. Correct answer: Genie

What was the name of a weapon with a heavy stone or metal head on the handle, as well as a symbol of power in Poland until the 19th century?

Sergei passes. Correct answer: Mace

Double the amount earned in the seventh round is equal to 7 000 rub. x 2 = 14 000 rub.
The total prize for this game is 61 000 rub .

The final

First couple of questions

Name the statesman who was replaced as People's Commissar for Military and Naval Affairs by Mikhail Frunze.

Andrew's answer: Kliment Voroshilov Correct answer: Leon Trotsky

Name the People's Commissar for Foreign Affairs of the RSFSR, appointed to this post in May 1918.

Sergey's answer: Georgy Chicherin

Second pair of questions

Name the composer who, in 1723, became director of the choral school at the Thomaskirche in Leipzig and taught boys how to read music and sing.

Andrew's answer: Johann Sebastian Bach

Name the Italian composer who in 1861 wrote the opera The Force of Destiny commissioned by the Mariinsky Theatre.

Sergey's answer: Giacomo Puccini Correct answer: Giuseppe Verdi

Third pair of questions

Name a Russian writer who published his first novels under the pseudonym Sirin.

Andrew's answer: Fedor Dostoevsky Correct answer: Vladimir Nabokov

Name a Russian writer who lived in exile in Paris since 1932, the author of the dystopian novel We.

Sergey's answer: Daniil Kharms Correct answer: Evgeny Zamyatin

Fourth pair of questions

Which word, meaning the motive cause of behavior, comes from the name of a pointed stick, which the ancient Romans used to drive cattle?

Andrew's answer: Stimulus

What was the name given to the figurine that represented the Virgin Mary in a medieval puppet show?

Sergei passes. Correct answer: Puppet

Fifth pair of questions

Sergey is one answer behind Andrey

Name the ancient city, which was located on the territory of modern Turkey and was described by Homer in the poem "Iliad".

Andrew's answer: Panticapaeum Correct answer: Troy

In what city is Joyce's novel Ulysses set?

Sergey's answer: New York Correct answer: Dublin

Andrei wins by giving more correct answers and wins 61 000 rub .

Voting table

Members Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Round 4 Round 5 Round 6
Svetlana Pavel Sergey Marina Julia - -
Marina Pavel Sergey Igor - - -
Hope Igor Igor - - - -
Sergey Marina Igor Marina Svetlana Julia Igor
Andrei Pavel Hope Marina Julia Julia Igor
Julia Pavel Hope Sergey Svetlana Igor -
Pavel Marina - - - - -
Igor Pavel Hope Marina Svetlana Sergey Sergey
Area - 551 thousand km
Population - 60.9 million people
Official language - French

Beautiful, captivating, magnificent... These are the words you hear most often when it comes to France. Indeed, for many centuries this country has attracted the whole world with its unique history and culture.

Gauls - Franks - French

The earliest traces of human presence in France date back to stone age. At the end of the II millennium BC. e. these lands began to be inhabited by the tribes of the Celts. By the middle of the 1st millennium BC. e. they mixed with the local population and occupied the entire territory of modern France.

In the II century. BC e. Romans who spoke Latin began to penetrate into the region of ancient France. They called the Celts Gauls, and their country Gaul. Roman rule over Gaul lasted more than five centuries. Celtic dialects, which did not have a developed written language, were supplanted by Latin.


The ruins of the theater - evidence of the Roman
dominion in France.

5th-8th centuries n. e. marked by the invasion of Gaul by the Germanic tribes. Its entire southern and southwestern parts were occupied by the Visigoths. From the east and southeast came the Burgundians; from the north and northeast - the Franks, who soon captured the lands of the Burgundians and Visigoths. Already by the beginning of the VI century. The Frankish state was created, covering the territory of the whole of Gaul. For several centuries, bilingualism was established in the country - Germanic languages ​​\u200b\u200bcoexisted with Latin.

In the middle of the VIII century. The powerful empire of the Carolingians was formed on the territory of Gaul and beyond its borders. The Franks finally merged with the Gallo-Romans, and popular Latin absorbed the Germanic dialects and formed the basis of the future French language. In the era of the Carolingians, the French nationality began to take shape. However, initially two different ethnic communities were formed. One arose in the south, where the Gallo-Roman population with a deep knowledge of Latin prevailed, the other in the north of the country, where the population felt less Roman cultural influence.

In the 10th century, after the collapse of the Carolingian empire, the whole country was divided into separate principalities. Each of them spoke their own dialect. Northern dialects initially remained only spoken. South in the 11th century literary French began to take shape. He found the most striking expression in the exquisite lyrical poetry of the troubadours.


Fort Saint-Andre (XIV century) in
city ​​of Villeneuve-les-Avignon.
Card. Early 20th century

Despite the fragmentation, the territory of the Frankish possessions increasingly began to be called France. At the end of the X century. the French crown passed to the Capetian dynasty, which initially ruled only in the Ile-de-France region - the central part of the country with the capital Paris. However, the kings of the new dynasty began to vigorously annex nearby lands to their possessions. The unification of France was complicated by the fact that part of its regions - Normandy and

The lower reaches of the Loire River in the west and Aquitaine in the southwest were captured by the British.

For the French regions of Guienne, Normandy and Anjou between France and England, the Hundred Years War (1337-1453) began. She went with varying success and contributed to the rallying of the French against a common enemy. Joan of Arc, who led the war at the final, victorious stage for the French, became the national heroine of France and a symbol of patriotism.

But in the second half of the 16th century, the unity of France was seriously tested during the civil wars of religion. At this time, a new religious trend became popular in Western Europe - Protestantism, which opposed itself to the official Catholic religion. French Protestants - the Huguenots - prevailed in southern France, while the north was still dominated by Catholics. Armed clashes between the Huguenots and Catholics escalated into religious wars that lasted more than 30 years. They ended with the victory of the Catholics at the very end of the 16th century. and the accession to the French throne of Henry IV, the founder of the new Bourbon dynasty.


Triumphal arch in the square
Charles de Gaulle (former square
Stars) in Paris.

In the 17th century basically completed the process of unification of France into a single centralized state. The regime of absolute monarchy, that is, the unlimited power of the king, was established in the country. At this time, France waged long wars with Spain, Austria, England, Holland, as a result of which it significantly expanded its territory and achieved political supremacy in Europe. The wide dissemination of French culture outside the country has led to the fact that the French language has become an international diplomatic language. It spoke secular society throughout Europe.

In 1789-1794. the French Revolution took place. It overthrew the monarchy, proclaimed the ideas of freedom, equality and fraternity, laid the foundations of a new bourgeois society, state and law. During the first French Revolution, the state blue-white-red flag and the national anthem "La Marseillaise" appeared. The main national holiday of modern France - Bastille Day, a fortress-prison in Paris (1789), is celebrated on July 14th.

At the end of XVIII - early XIX in. in the center of all European events was the great French commander and statesman Napoleon Bonaparte (1769-1821). With his brilliant military victories, he first defended the cause of the Great French Revolution. In 1804, forcing all of Europe to reckon with him, he proclaimed himself emperor and founded the First Empire in France. A complete defeat for Bonaparte turned into his campaign in Russia in 1812 and the Battle of Waterloo in 1815. In the XIX century. Three more revolutions took place in France (in 1830, 1848 and 1871). Only as a result of the latter was the republican regime finally established.

In the XX century. France remains one of the leading countries in Western Europe. After the end of the First World War (1914-1918), together with England and Russia, she found herself in the camp of the victors. Second World War(1939-1945) first turned into a Nazi occupation for France. However, since 1942, the resistance movement began to expand both on the territory of the country and abroad. In exile it was organized by General Charles de Gaulle (1890-1970), an outstanding military, political and statesman of France. Together with the members of the anti-Hitler coalition - the USSR, England and the USA - the country won this war as well. In 1958, General de Gaulle founded a new political regime- The Fifth Republic, which exists to this day, and was elected its first president.


Marseille is the largest port in France.

North South West East

The territory of France is divided into 100 departments, including overseas - the Reunion Islands in Indian Ocean, Martinique and Guadeloupe in the Caribbean, etc. The French retain the consciousness of belonging to certain historical regions: Picardy, Normandy, Brittany, Alsace, Lorraine, Champagne, Burgundy, Savoy, Auvergne, Aquitaine, Gascony, Languedoc, Provence, each of which is distinguished by its originality .

In the west of France is the region of Brittany, spread out on the peninsula of the same name. Even in the V-VII centuries. with british isles the Celtic tribe of the Britons moved there. Gradually, their language merged with Gallo-Roman Latin and became known as Breton. The French language spread to the peninsula only after Brittany was annexed to France in 1532. However, Breton still exists in this area.

Brittany is a beautiful and harsh land. Rocky uplands interspersed with deep valleys. The steep sea shores are indented by rocky bays. Strong winds often blow, fogs are common, the cries of seagulls are heard from all sides. The Bretons are considered the best sailors and fishermen in the country. Another important craft in Brittany is the breeding of various oysters and edible shells in artificial pools - "oyster parks".

The extreme northeastern historical region of France is Alsace. Since the Middle Ages, this region has been the border between the French and German lands and, accordingly, between the French and German languages. The vicissitudes of history have determined the modern linguistic situation of Alsace, where the majority of the population is bilingual.

The capital of Alsace is Strasbourg (Strasbourg). This is a beautiful old city. It flourished in the Middle Ages, was a rich economic center. In the XV century. lived here famous inventor book printing Johannes Gutenberg, who founded the first printing house. Modern Strasbourg is rightly called the crossroads of Europe. The Council of Europe and the European Parliament sit in the city.

Savoie is a picturesque region located at the foot of the Alps. She moved to France from Italy only in 1860, but long before that, the French language was widespread in it. In Savoie there are mountain resorts with excellent sports facilities. Not without reason, in 1992, the city of Albertville hosted the Winter Olympic Games. The town of Evian is world famous for its mineral waters.

The Provence region in the south of France is famous for its well-maintained seaside resorts. The famous Cote d'Azur borders a wonderful corner of the French Mediterranean. Millions of tourists from all over the world from spring to autumn come to the main resort city of Nice and its surroundings to relax and have fun. Marseille, the capital of Provence, is one of the oldest French cities. It was founded by the Greeks around 600 BC. e. Today it is the largest port in France and the largest industrial center. Old city, located on the hills, adjoins the harbor of the Old Port. On its narrow streets, many old churches and buildings have been preserved. A huge area in Marseille is occupied by modern quarters, including a new vast port complex.

West of Provence lies the Languedoc. This is the oldest wine region in France. The small cities of Languedoc and Provence - Nimes, Arles, Montpellier, Avignon, Orange are known for their well-preserved monuments of the Gallo-Roman culture. These are temples, amphitheaters, triumphal arches, aqueducts. The streets and squares of the capital of the region, Toulouse, are dominated by magnificent churches and palaces in the Baroque and Renaissance styles.


Amboise is one of
numerous castles
in the Loire Valley. He has
chapel where he is buried
the great Leonardo da Vinci.

Paris - "See and die!"

The beauty, charm and charm of France merged into one in its capital Paris, standing on the banks of the Seine River. In the very center of Paris, on the Island of the City, in the XII-XIII centuries. Notre Dame Cathedral was erected - a recognized masterpiece of the Gothic style. The best collection of Renaissance works is in the Louvre (erected in the 16th century on the foundation of a fortress of the late 12th - early 13th centuries) - a grandiose building with exquisite facades, pediments and courtyards. Used to live in the Louvre french kings, and since 1793 it houses one of the largest art museums in the world, which keeps the famous Gioconda by Leonardo da Vinci among many masterpieces. In the 20th century, not only palaces, but also ... stations became museums. A magnificent collection of paintings by the Impressionists and other painters of the XIX-XX centuries. assembled in a converted railway station Musee d'Orsay (opened in 1986). The city has many large and small palaces, mansions, squares that captivate with their unique beauty: the Luxembourg Palace, where the Senate sits, the Elysee Palace - the residence of the President of the Republic, Place de la Concorde and Vendôme, Les Invalides, in which the ashes of the great Napoleon are buried.

Champs Elysees - the main avenue of the French capital - ends triumphal arch. The Eiffel Tower, built for the World Exhibition of 1889 by engineer Alexandre Gustave Eiffel, as a symbol of the technical achievements of the 19th century, has always remained the symbol of Paris. Its height is 300 m, and the weight of steel structures is 9 thousand tons.

The favorite place for communication among Parisians (and there are about 2.6 million of them) is invariably restaurants and cafes, some tables of which are located right on the streets of the city. The center of Paris is crowded until very late in the evening (by the way, back in the middle of the 18th century, about 700 thousand people lived in Paris - a huge population for that time).


Notre Dame Cathedral.

Peaceful atom and high fashion

France has developed both industry and Agriculture. By volume industrial production She is in the top ten in the world.

Agriculture still plays a significant role in the country's economy. Its main industry is animal husbandry. In France, a large cattle, pigs, sheep, poultry. Crops include wheat, barley, corn, sugar beet. Traditional French industries have long been viticulture, winemaking and floriculture.

One of the key modern industries has become nuclear power(NPPs generate more than 2/3 of all electricity). critical role play rocket and aircraft building, shipbuilding and automotive industry. French jets passenger planes Caravel and Concorde, Renault, Peugeot and Citroen cars, the largest passenger ship France are known all over the world. The metalworking industry, radio electronics and the chemical industry are also developing successfully.

For a long time, light industry has been valued in France. The famous Lyon silk manufactories have become powerful modern factories and continue to produce high-quality fabrics, though mainly from artificial fibers. The small town of Sèvres, near Paris, has been known outside of France for more than two centuries for its fine porcelain. The small southern town of Grae gained worldwide fame. Its factories make French perfumes and other perfumes that are in great demand and popular all over the world.

A special place is occupied by the production of clothing and footwear. France for centuries has been and still remains a recognized trendsetter. The most famous French fashion designers Pierre Cardin, Yves Saint Laurent, Paco Raban, Christian Lacroix and many others traditionally present their new collections to the public twice a year.

January 15, 2007 there were 785. The chairman of the second half-period is Hans Geert Pottering. There are currently 7 factions, as well as a number of non-partisan delegates. In their home states, parliamentarians are members of about 160 different parties that have coalesced into factions on the pan-European political arena. Starting from the seventh electoral period 2009-2014. The European Parliament must again consist of 736 delegates (according to art. 190 EC Treaty); Treaty of Lisbon sets the number of parliamentarians at 750, including the chairman.

The principles of organization and operation of the body are contained in the Regulations of the European Parliament.

Story

Plenary Hall of the Brussels Residence of the European Parliament

From September 10 to 13, 1952, the first meeting was held within the framework of the ECSC ( European Coal and Steel Community) consisting of 78 representatives who were chosen from among the national parliaments. This assembly had only recommendatory powers, but also had the right to dismiss the highest executive bodies ECSC. In 1957, as a result of the signing Treaty of Rome were founded European Economic Community and European Atomic Energy Community. The Parliamentary Assembly, which at that time consisted of 142 representatives, belonged to all these three communities. Despite the fact that the assembly did not receive any new powers, nevertheless, it began to call itself the European Parliament - a name that was recognized by independent states. When 1971 European Union found its budget, the European Parliament began to participate in its planning - in all its aspects, except for planning the costs of the common agricultural policy, which, at that time, accounted for about 90% of the costs. This apparent senselessness of parliament even led to the fact that in the 70s there was a joke: “Send your old grandfather to sit in the European Parliament” (“Hast du einen Opa, schick ihn nach Europa”).

Since the 1980s, the situation has gradually begun to change. The first direct parliamentary elections in 1976 were not yet associated with the expansion of its powers, but already in 1986, after the signing of the Single Pan-European Act, the parliament began to take part in the legislative process and could now officially make proposals to change bills, although the last word still remained for European Council. This condition was abolished as a result of the next step to expand the competences of the European Parliament - Maastricht Treaty 1992, which equalized the rights of the European Parliament and the European Council. Although Parliament still could not put forward bills against the will of the European Council, this was a great achievement, since now no important decision could be made without the participation of Parliament. In addition, the parliament received the right to form the Investigative Committee, which significantly expanded its supervisory functions. As a result of the reforms of Amsterdam 1997 and Nice 2001, parliament began to play a greater role in the political sphere of Europe. In some important areas, such as the common European Agricultural policy, or the joint work of the police and judiciary, The European Parliament still does not have full powers. However, together with the European Council, it holds a strong position in legislation.

Goals and objectives

Logo of the European Parliament

The European Parliament has three the most important tasks: legislation, budgeting and control of the European Commission.

Legislative functions

The European Parliament shares legislative functions with the EU Council, which also makes laws (directives, orders, decisions). Since the signing of the Treaty in Nice, in most political areas, the so-called principle of joint decisions (art. 251 of the EU-Treaty) has been in force, according to which the European Parliament and the Council of Europe have equal powers, and each bill submitted by the Commission must be considered in 2x readings. Disagreements must be resolved during the 3rd reading.

In general, this system resembles the division of legislative power in Germany between the Bundestag and the Bundesrat. However, the European Parliament, unlike the Bundestag, does not have the right to initiate, in other words, it cannot introduce its own bills. Only the European Commission has this right in the pan-European political arena. The European Constitution and the Lisbon Treaty do not provide for the expansion of initiative powers for Parliament, although the Lisbon Treaty does allow, in exceptional cases, a situation where a group of EU member states submits bills for consideration.

In addition to the system of mutual lawmaking, there are also two other forms legal regulation(agrarian policy and anti-monopoly competition), where parliament has less voting power. This circumstance after the Treaty of Nice extends only to one political sphere, and after the Treaty of Lisbon it should disappear altogether.

budget policy

The European Parliament and the Council of the EU jointly form the Budget Commission, which forms the EU budget (for example, in 2006 it amounted to about € 113 billion).

Significant restrictions on budgetary policy are imposed by the so-called "Compulsory expenditures" (that is, expenditures associated with a joint agricultural policy), which amount to almost 40% of the total European budget. The powers of the Parliament in the direction of "Compulsory Expenses" are severely limited. The Lisbon Treaty should abolish the distinction between "mandatory" and "non-mandatory" spending and give the European Parliament the same budgetary rights as the EU Council.

Control functions

Parliament also exercises control over the activities of the European Commission. The Plenum of the Parliament must approve the composition of the Commission. Parliament has the right to accept or reject the Commission only in its entirety, and not its individual members. The Parliament does not appoint the Chairman of the Commission (unlike the rules in force in most national parliaments of the EU member states), he can only accept or reject a candidate proposed by the Council of Europe. In addition, the Parliament may, through a 2/3 majority, move a vote of no confidence in the Commission than cause its resignation.

This right was used by the European Parliament, for example, in 2004, when the Commission of Free Cities opposed the contested candidacy of Rocco Butiglione for the post of Justice Commissioner. Then the Social Democratic, Liberal and Green factions threatened to dissolve the Commission, after which Franco Frattini was appointed instead of Butglione as Commissioner of Justice.

Also, Parliament can exercise control over the Council of Europe and the European Commission by establishing a committee of inquiry. This right particularly affects those areas of politics where the executive functions of these institutions are large, and where the legislative powers of the parliament are significantly limited (see Three pillars of the European Union)

Growth in the number of deputies

sen
1952
Mar
1957
Jan
1973
Jun
1979
Jan
1981
Jan
1986
Jun
1994
Jan
1995
May
2004
Jun
2004
Jan
2007
Jun
2008
Germany 18 36 36 81 81 81 99 99 99 99 99 99
France 18 36 36 81 81 81 87 87 87 78 78 72
Italy 18 36 36 81 81 81 87 87 87 78 78 72
Belgium 10 14 14 24 24 24 25 25 25 24 24 22
Netherlands 10 14 14 25 25 25 31 31 31 27 27 25
Luxembourg 4 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6
United Kingdom 36 81 81 81 87 87 87 78 78 72
Denmark 10 16 16 16 16 16 16 14 14 13
Ireland 10 15 15 15 15 15 15 13 13 12
Greece 24 24 25 25 25 24 24 22
Spain 60 64 64 64 54 54 50
Portugal 24 25 25 25 24 24 22
Sweden 22 22 19 19 18
Austria 21 21 18 18 17
Finland 16 16 14 14 13
Poland 54 54 54 50
Czech Republic 24 24 24 20
Hungary 24 24 24 20
Slovakia 14 14 14 13
Lithuania 13 13 13 12
Latvia 9 9 9 8
Slovenia 7 7 7 7
Cyprus 6 6 6 6
Estonia 6 6 6 6
Malta 5 5 5 5
Romania 36 33
Bulgaria 18 17
Total 78 142 198 410 434 518 567 626 788 732 786 732

Factions

see also

  • Latin American Parliament
  • Central American Parliament