With 100 days left of the first round of the presidential election, on April 10, the organizers of political meetings will have the legal possibility of requiring a health pass from participants.
As part of the examination of the bill "strengthening the tools for managing the health crisis", which will transform the health pass into a vaccination pass, the Laws Committee of the Assembly adopted an amendment by Guillaume Larrivé (LR ) providing for this measure on the pass, with the consent of the majority.
The Minister of Health Olivier Véran had said earlier also "in favor".
#Meetings: should we require the presentation of a #pass & set a #gauge?
I believe it is necessary.
And within the constitutional framework which is ours, it is necessary to specify the “instructions for use” in the law.
This is the meaning of my amendment ⤵️ pic.twitter.com/R7FhOqLAnf
- 🇫🇷 Guillaume Larrivé (@GLarrive) December 29, 2021
The deputy for Yonne recalled that the organizers of meetings incurred heavy penalties if they asked for proof of a vaccine or a negative test to allow their activists to enter, political meetings being, like union and religious activities , excluded from the scope of the health pass by the Constitutional Council.
But "we must respect a balance" between "health requirements" and "protection of political freedom", he defended.
In future meetings, "there will be an exercise in truth", with "unreasonable people" not asking for the pass, and others "reasonable like Les Républicains", praised Mr. Larrivé.
"We have no lessons to receive from anyone"
His words made Ugo Bernalicis (LFI) jump: "we have no lessons to receive from anyone," he said, denouncing "a maneuver".
"We can not constrain a fundamental freedom", added Sébastien Jumel (PCF), worried that with the vaccination pass, the government will take "an additional step in the permanent state of exception".
A few days ago the government spokesperson, Gabriel Attal, called on the organizers of meetings to ask for the mask and the health pass to their public, several political parties - including LREM - have already chosen to resort to the last .
It was before this amendment, which is currently non-binding.
Read also Political meetings without gauge: how the government is trying to put an end to the controversy
On the other hand, the part of the amendment providing for the introduction of a gauge was discarded.
The subject is the subject of consultation between the Minister of the Interior and political parties, justified the rapporteur Jean-Pierre Pont (LREM).
For the moment the artists who threaten to be candidates to be able to maintain their concerts have not reacted.