Senators gave the first green light on Tuesday in committee to the extension of the state of health emergency to deal with the Covid-19 epidemic but reduced the deadline from June 1 to May 3.
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After the National Assembly, the Senate dominated by the right-wing opposition will examine the text at first reading on Wednesday afternoon in the hemicycle, with a view to final adoption before February 16, the current date of end of application of this exceptional regime.
The state of health emergency is the basis in particular of the national curfew at 6:00 p.m.
It also allows measures to restrict or prohibit movement, gatherings or the opening of establishments on all or part of the territory, as well as possibly partial or complete confinements of the population.
In committee, the senators adopted an amendment by rapporteur LR Philippe Bas aiming to bring back to May 3 the expiry date of the state of health emergency, except for further extension decided by Parliament.
The government is asking with this text for an extension until June 1.
Pleading for a “
control of Parliament
”, the President of the Senate Gérard Larcher (LR) argued last week on France Info that an emergency law constituted an “
exorbitant
”
prerogative
: “
we are reducing freedoms;
for example today, cultural freedom does not exist, the freedom to move around in a certain number of conditions has been restricted
”, he noted.
The senators adopted in committee another amendment by the rapporteur aimed at modifying the state of emergency regime.
It aims in particular to "
expressly prohibit any limitation of meetings in residential premises which would run up against the right to respect for private life and the right to lead a normal family life
", according to the explanatory memorandum.
The amendment also aims "
to adjust the regime of quarantine and isolation measures
", specifying that they can only be extended beyond a period of 14 days with the authorization of the judge of freedoms and detention. "As
soon as they require the person concerned to remain at his home (...) for a time slot of more than twelve hours per day, which leads to qualify them as measures of deprivation of liberty
".
Created during the Covid-19 crisis, the state of health emergency was applied from March 23 to July 10, 2020 and again since October 17.