The right-wing majority Senate voted on Wednesday for an amendment by the LR group to the bill on “
respect for the principles of the Republic
” which aims to ban communalist lists in elections.
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The amendment carried by the leader of the LR group Bruno Retailleau was adopted by 157 votes in favor, including the 147 votes of the LR group (the President of the Senate Gérard Larcher not taking part in the votes) and 108 against (PS, RDPI mostly En Marche, environmentalists).
The vast majority of centrist and independent senators did not take part in the vote.
The Communist-majority CRCE and the radical-majority RDSE groups abstained.
It partly takes up a bill tabled by Bruno Retailleau in November 2019, with a view to municipal elections.
"
We want to lay down republican principles
," said Bruno Retailleau.
"
We are protecting our fellow citizens against the emergence of communalist lists
", supported Philippe Bas, acknowledging that "
the way is narrow
".
The Minister in charge of Citizenship, Marlène Schiappa, opposed this amendment, considering that it “
infringes the freedoms of candidacy, expression and opinion
”.
It provides for a ban on submitting lists for elections, the title of which would call into question the principles of "
national sovereignty and democracy, as well as secularism
".
Candidates leading campaigns "
openly communitarian and contrary to these principles
" could not benefit from funding.
"
We are losing the thread of general consistency
," regretted centrist Philippe Bonnecarrère, calling on his colleagues to "
return to a realistic approach to republican provisions
".