National Assembly (illustration). - NICOLAS MESSYASZ / SIPA

  • The Assembly began examining the coronavirus health emergency bill on Friday.
  • Several points are the subject of disagreements with the Senate, which risks postponing the effective date by a few days.
  • In addition to health issues, MEPs must study the derogations from the Labor Code on taking paid holidays.

Not so quick debates and real substantive differences. After its adoption by the Senate, the National Assembly started this Friday the examination of the bill on emergency measures to deal with the epidemic of coronavirus. It provides for the establishment of a “state of health emergency” with strong measures (restriction of circulation, for example), confirms the postponement of the second round of municipal elections, and notes the support measures for businesses announced at the beginning of the week by the government (strengthening of partial unemployment, compensation for small businesses and the self-employed, suspension of payment of invoices, etc.).

Due to the order imposed by the text, it was the question of elections that was first addressed by the Law Commission. And despite the willingness of all the deputies to go as quickly as possible on this dossier in view of the urgency, politics was quick to regain the upper hand. The deputies of the majority - like those of France Insoumise - thus wanted to suppress the amendment of the Senate providing for a deposit of the lists for the second round of the municipal elections no later than March 31.

"Surrealist" discussion

"In the coming weeks, the spread of the virus is inevitable (...) This concerns the running mate, the head of the list (...) Asking each other to deposit their list, it is not reasonable" assures Stanislas Guérini, boss of LREM. "We must continue the process, except to consider that in reality, you think that the municipal elections cannot take place before June 30" retorts Philippe Gosselin (LR). The length of the debates irritates Delphine Batho: “We don't have a mask in hospitals, but the thing that monopolizes politicians is the date of the elections. This is not serious ".

"This discussion is surreal, judge Stéphane Peu (PCF). It originates only from the majority decision to table an amendment. Assume that this discussion is unreal, withdraw your amendment ”. The majority refuse. These disagreements will therefore require the meeting of a joint parity committee (CMP) bringing together 7 deputies and 7 senators, probably on Saturday, to try to reach a compromise, before the Senate and the Assembly do not sit again, until Sunday evening possibly. Some MEPs do not hide the fact that they regret the image given by Parliament on this occasion: "We find ourselves having French people who deem us extremely disconnected from the current situation", deplores the rapporteur Marie Guévenoux (LREM).

#Municipales: "By opening a debate on the filing of lists on March 31, we find ourselves having French people who deem us extremely disconnected from the current situation. I draw the attention of all the deputies", says @mguevenoux . # DirectAN #Coronavirus # Covid_19 pic.twitter.com/vPT4LSpAL2

- LCP (@LCP) March 20, 2020

Derogations from the Labor Code

In addition to health issues, MEPs should also address in the evening and at night the exceptions to labor law during the state of health emergency. The amendment adopted by the Senate - which has yet to be approved by the Assembly - thus provides that the employer can impose the taking of paid holidays during the confinement period, within the limit of one week. The employer could also unilaterally impose the taking of RTT or days of rest.

In companies impacted by the crisis, this measure "would be financially favorable to employees, who do not suffer loss of remuneration when they are on leave, unlike partial activity", according to Alain Milon, president (LR) of the Senate Social Affairs Committee. But, he adds, "these derogations should not allow companies to unilaterally reclassify paid holidays as a period during which employees are forced to stay at home, if necessary to keep their children, which cannot be assimilated to holidays ".

For Insubordinate France, it is unthinkable to allow such derogations to pass. "We are very worried about the possibility left to companies to count the time of confinement as RTT or to question the summer holidays, or even to end the 35 hours for a potentially indefinite period" launched the MP Clémentine Autain this Friday.

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  • National Assembly
  • Containment
  • Coronavirus
  • Covid 19
  • Economy