It was widely expected.
In his report submitted to Jean Castex this Friday, Jean-Louis Debré recommends "the fixing of the electoral deadline
(Editor's note: departmental and regional)
at the end of June 2021, along with a clause on the evaluation of the health situation which would be carried out by the Covid-19 scientific council ”according to Matignon.
After consulting the political and parliamentary forces, the former president of the Constitutional Council also recommends "that the government announce its intention as quickly as possible to put an end to the uncertainty".
The fears of the opposition
Noting that "the solution of the postponement of three months meets the broadest approval", the entourage of the Prime Minister promises a rapid response and without surprise.
A bill must be presented to the Council of Ministers on December 2 or 16, that of December 9 being devoted to the text on separatism.
The “review clause” worries, on the other hand, particularly the opposition, some fearing a “leap-of-the-chip” strategy consisting of postponing the ballot several times in order to bury it better.
In an attempt to allay doubts, Matignon highlights the “experience” of the second round of municipal elections in June 2020 at the end of the first wave of the epidemic.
And underlines that “the logic of Jean-Louis Debré” amounts to entrusting “the responsibility of the lessons to be drawn from this review clause to the political forces”.
"The stake is not so much to know whether or not we will be able to hold the two rounds of elections in June, as to know whether we will be able to campaign in excessively degraded conditions", we continue on rue de Varenne .
Debré also formulates recommendations on this point, in particular "the increase of the ceiling of the propaganda expenses" to take account of the extension of the duration of the campaign.
Or the increase in the size of professions of faith sent to voters, a point on which Matignon displays his reservations.
Mail or Internet voting?
What about the voting methods?
The report proposes to facilitate the use of proxies, but also to allow (as for the second round of municipal elections in 2020) each voter to hold two proxies.
Regarding voting by mail or by Internet, the former president of the Constitutional Council "gives the ball to the government" estimates Matignon, recommending to "consider" its development under conditions.
This is the most debated point, as it finds supporters even in the ranks of the majority.
Beyond the bills, from the MoDem group in the Assembly, from an LREM senator at the Luxembourg Palace, voices are raised to ask that the discussion be at least open.
"This is a path that must be explored," said the Minister of Relations with Parliament, Marc Fesneau, this Friday on Sud radio.
The entourage of the head of government ensures that the Minister of the Interior will be seized of this point, and that "the Prime Minister will bring together the political forces to see what is consensus on this subject".
But at the same time he points out, in addition to the risk of fraud, "the inconvenience linked to the personal and secret nature of the vote" or the fact that "this proposal does not have the effect of ensuring the health security of the vote" .
What about electronic voting?
“It's something that is complicated to guarantee voting security.
This is what we call displaying your reserves ...
