Parliamentarians' right to amend: the opposition annoyed by Macron's criticisms

The statement sparked an uproar.

During his speech to the States General of Justice on Monday, the Head of State scratched the right of amendment of parliamentarians by considering that a constitutional reform was necessary on this subject.

"We have collectively contributed to legislative inflation", declared the President of the Republic, considering that this contributed "to the illegibility of our law".

"The laws are more numerous, they are each time in a way enlarged by the right of amendment, which is obviously a totally legitimate right of Parliament, but it is clear that on this subject, a reform of our Constitution will be necessary. », Added Emmanuel Macron.

Read also Emmanuel Macron launches the States General of Justice

What to trigger the anger of the deputies of the oppositions of left and right.

“We must respect the separation of powers.

With his questioning of the right of amendment which is individual, Macron tramples on the right of Parliament, ”for example criticized Damien Abad, boss of LR deputies.

"He has a problem with parliamentary debate"

"By demonstrating his hostility to the right of amendment, Emmanuel Macron shows that he has a problem with the parliamentary debate," criticized the socialist Boris Vallaud.

“We have to explain to him (to Emmanuel Macron) that we only have that left.

Otherwise, we can close the shop, if that's what he wants, we create a presidential regime without Parliament ”, exclaimed, meanwhile, the UDI deputy Michel Zumkeller, explaining the words of the president by the fact that “he was not a parliamentarian”.

“We are in a system of separation of powers.

It is like (wanting) to restrict the speaking time of the President of the Republic ”on the part of parliamentarians, commented Olivier Becht, boss of the Agir deputies allies of the majority, however inviting“ self-control ”.

LREM deputy Sacha Houlié stressed to AFP that "legislative inflation is first and foremost linked to bills" presented by the government.

According to this member of the Law Commission, the debate "refers above all to the real or supposed powerlessness of parliamentarians and to the real definition of their role while they are stuck between the national and local executives".

The right of amendment had already been in the sights of the executive during the institutional reform project in 2018, a project aborted due to the scandal of the Benalla affair.