Jean Castex, December 12, 2020. -

UGO AMEZ / SIPA

Prime Minister Jean Castex said on Tuesday that he hoped that the climate referendum announced the day before by Emmanuel Macron could be held “if possible” before the end of the five-year term, stressing that this will depend on the evolution of the Covid epidemic -19.

Asked about Europe 1 on the election calendar, he admitted that "it's a bit difficult to say, it unfortunately brings us back to sanitary conditions (...) Obviously it is this sanitary context which will determine the end of the referendum".

Will it nevertheless be held before the end of the five-year term?

“If possible of course,” he said.

Mandatory passage in front of Parliament

He recalled that the regional elections, initially scheduled for March 2021, will be in view of the health context postponed to June according to the recommendation of Jean-Louis Debré.

The government will adopt the bill drawn up on the basis of the report by the former president of the Constitutional Council next week, said Jean Castex.

He praised the “tremendous political innovation” constituted by the Citizen's Convention for the Climate (CCC) with the use of 150 citizens responsible for making “strong proposals that we will listen to, which we will collectively debate”.

"Then representative democracy, parliament will resume its rights" and the introduction of the defense of the environment in the Constitution, contained in a bill, will be examined by the parliament, which will vote, before the referendum, a- he continued.

This condition means that the holding of the referendum is therefore uncertain.

"Communication operation"

Doesn't the ballot risk turning into a referendum for or against Emmanuel Macron?

The French are "perfectly aware" that ecology is "a cause which unites us, which transcends all of us", and "giving the people a voice is the quintessence of democracy, it is an honor for the President of the Republic than to resort to it ”, argued the Prime Minister.

As for the accusations of the opposition which sees in this referendum a communication operation, he considered that it was in its role.

"The main thing is that the people have the last word", and "so that it is not artifices of communication, it is necessary to seize the people on essential questions, which make move the company", pleaded Jean Castex .

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