several categories of legislation: Organic statutes (Lois organiques) are laws on areas specified in the Constitution, like presidential elections and the status of judges. Organic statutes must be referred to the Constitutional Council before they are passed, under Art. 46 of the Constitution. Referendum statutes (Lois référendaires) are laws adopted by referendum. The President has the power to refer certain bills, on the organization of public powers, social, economic, and environmental policy or the ratification of a treaty to a referendum, under Art. 11 of the Constitution. Orders (ordonnances) are legislative instruments issued by the executive, following Parliament delegation of law-making power in specific areas. Parliament first delegates law-making power on an area, along with the general contours of the law. Orders are then issued by the Council of Ministers, after consultation with the Council of State (normally a judicial institution) in its administrative capacity. Orders are usually valid for three to six months and need to be not voted down by Parliament at the end of the period to gain the status of statutes. Prior to approval they are considered regulations. New codes and major legal reforms are often enacted by orders. Ordinary statutes (Lois ordinaires) enacted by the French Parliament, concerning only matters listed in Art. 34 of the Constitution. These matters include civil liberties, nationality, civil status, taxes, criminal law, and criminal procedure. However, contrary to the expectations of the 1958 Constitution, Parliament has often had a majority supporting the government. This political reality meant that Parliament's legislative domain has been, in practice, expanded to include any important topic. Subjects included in Art. 34 cannot be delegated to the government, other than by orders. Regulations (règlement) are legislations produced by the executive power. There are two types of regulations: Règlements autonomes: under Art. 38 of the Constitution, any subject not expressly specified in Art. 34 is left entirely to the executive. The legislative power is thus shared between the Parliament and the executive. Règlements autonomes have the force of law. Règlements d’application are rules arising from parliamentary delegation, analogous to delegated legislation in the United Kingdom. They can be challenged in administrative courts as contrary to the delegating statute. Circulaires By contrast, administrative circulaires are not law, merely instructions by government ministries. Circulaires are nonetheless important in guiding public officials and judges. For example, the Circulaire of 14 May 1993 contains detailed instructions for prosecutors and judges