Deadline on January 31 instead of February 16, review clause on containment, opening of small businesses ... The Senate dominated by the right-wing opposition again voted on Thursday, November 5 a series of measures to frame the extension of the state of health emergency.
To read also: "Safe, sanitary, climatic: the permanent state of emergency"
The bill extending the state of health emergency, thus amended, was adopted for new reading by the Senate by show of hands.
The examination of this text in Parliament took on the appearance of the Stations of the Cross for the government, after the quack Tuesday at the Bourbon Palace which delayed the progress of the parliamentary shuttle.
Last station Saturday, with the return of the text to the National Assembly for final adoption: the presidential majority will then be able to erase the modifications made by the Senate against the advice of the government and return to its version.
At the start of the session, the chairman of the Laws Committee of the upper house, François-Noël Buffet (LR) denounced in a clarification "
a kind of trial in irresponsibility or even demagoguery
" made to the senators.
The government is asking for an extension until February 16 of the state of health emergency, allowing restrictive measures to be taken to fight the Covid-19 pandemic.
It was reinstated by decree from October 17 on the whole of the national territory, but a text of law is necessary to extend it beyond one month.
As at first reading, the Senate voted to extend this exceptional regime, but limited it to January 31, wishing the government to come back to Parliament if it deems it necessary to go beyond.
Read also: Covid-19: The Assembly restores to February 16 the deadline for the extension of the state of health emergency
Senators also removed the extension until April 1 of the transitional regime.
They further predicted that an extension of the lockdown beyond December 8 should be authorized by Parliament.
They have again reintroduced a provision to allow the prefects to grant exemptions for the opening of small local shops during confinement.
"
The Senate has never negotiated the authorization to give the government exceptional powers
", underlined the rapporteur Philippe Bas (LR).
"
We are responsible, but we want national representation to play its full role,
" he insisted.
"
What we refuse is 6 months of exceptional powers without ever there being any control of Parliament
", added Marie-Pierre de La Gontrie (PS) to the left.
"
We are preparing for a very significant shock in the days to come,
" said Secretary of State Adrien Taquet, for whom the date of February 16 responds to a need for "
visibility
".
"
The government will be able to put an early end to this state of emergency
" if the health situation improves, he recalled.
For Mr. Bas, "
by casting off
" with Parliament, the government takes "
the risk of isolation
", "
that of excessive verticality in which there is nothing left between the president and the people
".
