The National Assembly voted on the night of Friday to Saturday at first reading the bill extending the state of health emergency until July 10 and which "incorporates the issues" of progressive deconfinement from Monday. The deputies adopted the text by show of hands, with the support of elected LREM, MoDem and the majority of UDI-Agir. LR voted against, like the PS in the name of "individual freedoms", as well as LFI in particular because of the absence of social measures and the PCF, deeming the state of emergency "counterproductive". The elected representatives of the Liberties and Territories group were divided mainly between votes against and abstentions.
Final adoption Sunday evening
Deputies and senators will try Saturday in joint joint committee (CMP) to agree on a compromise version of the bill, with a view to final adoption by Sunday evening. The question of the criminal responsibility of decision-makers risks causing debate between the two chambers. The right-wing majority Senate wanted to specify at the beginning of the week that they must have committed an intentional or deliberate fault for their criminal responsibility to be engaged.
>> LIVE - Coronavirus: follow the evolution of the situation Saturday May 9
The deputies then completely reviewed the device: justice will have to take into account, "in the event of a health disaster, the state of scientific knowledge at the time of the facts". The majority and The Republicans now accuse each other of organizing "impunity". Raphaël Schellenberger (LR) notably justified the vote of his group by the organization "of the irresponsibility of this government".
Not "Armageddon" or "Matrix"?
Among the major measures of the 7-section bill is the creation of an "information system" to identify people infected with the coronavirus and their contacts. This provision raised serious concerns in the opposition to the Assembly, but also among some LREM elected officials regarding the respect of medical confidentiality.
Olivier Véran argued the "need" for such a device as part of the strategy to "break the chains of contamination", ensuring that it was not the "Armageddon" or "Matrix".
Isolation of patients arriving in mainland France and overseas
The bill also regulates the preventive quarantine and isolation isolation regimes for the sick, which are compulsory for certain people arriving on national territory. MEPs added legal guarantees to these schemes.
For people arriving overseas, they have planned on the initiative of the government that the place of the "fortnight" will be decided by the prefect, the Minister of Overseas Annick Girardin highlighting in particular the specificities in housing and a need for "maximum protection".
CORONAVIRUS ESSENTIALS
> Partial unemployment: the parents' situation clarified
> A new inflammatory disease affecting children linked to the coronavirus?
> What will shopping be like after May 11?
> The French will have to go on vacation near their home
> Why going to the hairdresser will cost more after confinement
MEPs also voted on Friday to extend the winter truce on rental evictions until July 10. However, they deleted an article introduced in the Senate which intended to "freeze" in the law the organization of health situation cards, as well as a provision aimed at preventing the payment of bank charges by people in financial fragile situations, the Minister seeing it as "a pure legislative horseman", unrelated to the bill.
While elected officials, up to the majority, stormed proposals to deconfinate cafes and restaurants or natural spaces more quickly, Mr. Véran slowed down. But the minister has taken up the commitment to allow the opening of the beaches, on a case-by-case basis with the authorization of the prefect-mayor's duo - without however engraving it in the bill.