Land mined for the last reform of the summer. The first for the Castex government. Monday, the bioethics bill, with its flagship measure, the PMA for all, reaches second reading in the National Assembly.
Despite its controversial charge, this text, born of a presidential promise by Emmanuel Macron, survived the Covid-19 crisis as well as that of the "yellow vests". The great societal reform of the five-year term is the survivor of the year 2020. For the majority, this controversial bill could not wait and, to get it voted, the government is betting on the height of summer. Some 2,300 amendments have been tabled. They will have to be examined within a programmed legislative time of 25 hours.
The exam promises to be acrobatic
"It is the text of all the dangers but it was very well prepared" , estimated Emmanuel Macron last September. Is the second part of his sentence still relevant? After a year of legislative work, the defenders of this law ensure that it is far from going "on the sly" , "on the sly" or "by forceps" . But his examination, between July 27 and 31, in extraordinary session, promises to be acrobatic.
Of course, parliamentarians should unsurprisingly approve the opening of the assisted reproduction system to female couples and single women. Just like the self-preservation of oocytes for women who would like to procreate later, or access to the identity of donors for people born of a donation.
The LREM group exploded like a puzzle. It goes all over the place
Patrick Hetzel, elected LR of Bas-RhinBut at the beginning of July, the work of the special bioethics commission gave a feeling of disorder. Additions of measures deemed “transgressive” , tense votes, electric atmosphere… The majority appeared more divided than ever between “progressive” marchers and supporters of the government line. “The LREM group exploded like a puzzle. It goes all over the place, ” sighs Patrick Hetzel, elected LR of Bas-Rhin.
The future of the text seems "quite uncertain" , recognizes the co-rapporteur of the text, Coralie Dubost. "On each side, convictions have grown stronger," she continues. “At first reading, there was a desire not to offend, to arrive at a balanced text. This is no longer the case today, ” says Guillaume Chiche, who moved from LREM to Écologie Démocratie Solidarité (EDS). In short, "everything will depend on who will be present in the Hemicycle at the time of the votes" , summarizes Coralie Dubost. However, the holidays of the deputies falling at this period, the bet of the mobilization is not won ...
Empty benches, “surprise” votes of amendments carried by the most militant deputies, a text which rocks… This is the scenario feared by the government, attached to remain as close as possible to the initial project. “The presence on the benches is a big cause for concern , laughs at an elected official. Last week, only 16 parliamentarians from the majority had confirmed their presence. It is no coincidence that the Prime Minister organized an end-of-session drink on Monday evening… He wants to ensure a minimum of attendance, at least to vote for the first articles of the law. ”
A red cloth
Already in the fall, despite a debate on good behavior, some hiccups could not be avoided. The adoption of an amendment on the filiation of children born to surrogate mothers had electrified the exchanges. The authorization of post-mortem PMA had been rejected by nine votes. Questions that are sure to resurface. Especially in committee, the deputies did not content themselves with unraveling the limits set by the Senate on the text. “New red lines have been crossed. It's a change of course, ” denounces Thibault Bazin, a member of the small group of elected LR representatives mobilized against the text.
The “Ropa” amendment - a method which allows a woman in a couple to have an embryo conceived with her partner's oocytes implanted - is notably accused of preparing the ground for the legalization of surrogate mothers. A red rag? "This is perhaps a way for the government to focus attention on a limit that will be placed on the text to let others cross" , imagines a parliamentarian.
Silence at the top of the state
Another major change, the expansion of screening for embryos conceived by in vitro fertilization, has made some people fear a "hunt" for Down's syndrome. Last October, the former Minister of Health was opposed to it because of a risk of "eugenic drift" . Will this caution be required after the change in government casting? “Agnès Buzyn moved forward with moderation and showed a desire for dialogue. Olivier Véran has a much more permissive vision of bioethics and is content for the moment to defend a text “of love”, ” criticizes LR MP Patrick Hetzel.
As for the flamboyant Eric Dupond-Moretti, who replaced the technician Nicole Belloubet at Justice, he immediately showed his desire to carry the text "with determination". "His sensitivity to equal rights could lead him to move lines on parentage," Guillaume Chiche hopes. At the top of the state, silence is required. Questioned, Jean Castex did not wish to speak on bioethics last week. As for the Head of State, he has not spoken on bioethics for several months. “To silence others, start by shutting up ,” the saying goes.
After a solemn vote which should take place at the start of the school year, the text will come back to the Senate and will be arbitrated by a joint committee. The government hopes for the first LDCs “for all” for next winter.