TheO presidentpresidente waselixiuse initiallyiniialmente electedpolos by an electoralcolexios collegeelectorais, butpero inen 1962 de Gaulle proposedpropuxo thatque theo presidentelexiran bedirectamente directlyos elected by the citizenscidadáns, ande heldconvocou aun referendumreferendo onsobre theo changecambio. AlthoughAínda theque methodos andmétodos intentsempregados ofpor de Gaulle inrecibiron thatcríticas referendumpor wereparte contestedde bytodos mostos politicalgrupos groupspolíticos exceptexcepto for theos [[GaullistsGaullistas]], theo changecambio wasaprovouno approved by theo Frenchelectorado electoratefrancés.<ref>Constitutional Council, [http://www.conseil-constitutionnel.fr/conseil-constitutionnel/francais/les-decisions/depuis-1958/decisions-par-date/1962/resultats-referendum-octobre-1962/decision-resultats-referendum-octobre-1962-du-06-novembre-1962.6422.html Proclamation] of the results of the 28 October 1962 referendum on the bill related to the election of the President of the Republic by universal suffrage</ref> TheO ConstitutionalTribunal CouncilConstitucional declinednon tose rulepronunciou onsobre thea constitutionalityconstitucuionalidade ofdo the referendumreferendo.<ref>Constitutional Council, [http://www.conseil-constitutionnel.fr/conseil-constitutionnel/francais/les-decisions/depuis-1958/decisions-par-date/1962/62-20-dc/decision-n-62-20-dc-du-06-novembre-1962.6398.html Decision 62-20 DC] of 6 November 1962</ref>
The president is now elected every five years, changed from seven by [[French constitutional referendum, 2000|a constitutional referendum in 2000]], to reduce the probability of [[Semi-presidential_system#Cohabitation|cohabitation]] due to former differences in the length of terms for the National Assembly and Presidency. The first round is open to all candidates and will establish a president if any candidate gets an overall majority. If there is no winner in the first round, the two candidates with the greatest number of votes go to a second round.
