"You are debating topics as our caregivers fight to save lives."
Olivier Véran was carried away on Tuesday evening in front of the deputies who were debating the extension of the state of health emergency in the National Assembly.
The oppositions have, in fact, managed to get the Assembly to vote for an extension of the state of health emergency until December 14 only, and not until mid-February as the government wished.
Read also: The Senate votes to extend the state of health emergency until January 31
Olivier Véran went to the hemicycle after a trip at the end of the afternoon to an intensive care unit at the Center hospitalier Sud Francilien in Corbeil-Essonnes (Essonne).
He defended the confinement decided by the government by recounting the daily life of caregivers in this intensive care unit.
“At Corbeil-Essonnes hospital, in the intensive care unit, I met caregivers who were already present during the first wave, who gave their all last spring and who were proud to have saved lives.
They told me how they had gone from 40 to nearly 80 resuscitation and intensive care beds in order to be able to save the sick, ”
began the Minister of Health, responding to deputies The Republicans.
MEPs vote to extend state of emergency until December 14
“I entered two rooms in this intensive care unit. In the first room, there was a 28 year old young man in a coma. In the second bedroom there was an overweight man aged 35, ”
continued Olivier Véran, insisting on the fact that the epidemic did not affect only the elderly.
The minister then lost his temper.
"That's the reality ladies and gentlemen deputies, if you don't want to hear it get out of here!"
This is the reality in our hospitals, you are debating subjects while our caregivers are fighting to save lives in these hospitals, ”
exclaimed Olivier Véran, angry.
In the absence of a sufficient number of LREM deputies, the oppositions managed to get the National Assembly to vote for an extension of the state of health emergency until December 14.
However, the government asked that it remain in force until mid-February.
"
The end of year celebrations
are a privileged moment"
and
"everything should be done to allow the French to meet up with their families"
despite the coronavirus epidemic, pleaded Josiane Corneloup (LR) in a new reading of the prorogation bill, pushing for this
"situation before the Christmas holidays".
Other political groups had asked for such a review clause earlier in December or in January, judging February 16 too far away.
"Nobody agrees"
with this date, underlined Cécile Untermaier (PS).
No question of putting democratic life
"under cover" for
so long, added Pascal Brindeau (UDI).
But
"the government wishes to enter the date of February 16"
because
"we are in a crisis situation, the French understand that in order to act, you need visibility",
had previously declared the Deputy Minister Brigitte Bouguignon.
Once back at the Palais Bourbon, Olivier Véran shortly after asked for the
"reserve of votes"
on all the remaining amendments and articles, which postpones the ballots when the government chooses.