The French Constitution (illustration).

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ASLAN / SIPA

It was a necessary step before the referendum on the climate announced by Emmanuel Macron.

The deputies adopted Wednesday evening, without it being amended, the single article of the bill integrating the protection of the environment in the Constitution.

Unsurprisingly, the article was widely adopted by MEPs with 68 votes in favor, 4 against and six abstentions, but the debate continues with a host of amendments tabled after the single article which, except surprisingly, should not be adopted as the rest of the 400 or so amendments tabled throughout the text.

"A quasi-obligation of result"

The 17 words of the article amending the Constitution, "we have chosen them, we assume them [...] because [the guarantee] creates a quasi-obligation of result", assured the Minister of Justice, Eric Dupond-Moretti in the 'hemicycle.

For article 1 of the Constitution, which lays down the founding principles of the Republic (equality, secularism, etc.), the government has retained the following inscription: France “guarantees the preservation of the environment and of biological diversity and against climate change ”.

The Wednesday evening session was an opportunity for François Ruffin of the LFI group and Julien Aubert (LR) to ensure a number of duettists in the hemicycle to titillate the Minister of Justice, by defending, for example, amendments on the " national sovereignty ”or relocations against a backdrop of environmental preservation.

"The Constitution does not deserve your rantings," lamented Eric Dupond-Moretti, regularly annoyed by addressing the related deputy LFI of the Somme.

The word "guarantee" is problematic

Pensions, defense of local traditions, right to self-defense, ...: the amendments to the texts modifying the Constitution not being subjected to the sieve of inadmissibility, the deputies proposed to Prévert an inventory of subjects to be included in the Constitution.

But, "it has nothing to do in Article 1 of the Constitution", swept the Minister of Justice.

The draft revision should be validated without a hitch in the National Assembly in a solemn vote on March 16.

Before a referendum, the text must be adopted in identical terms in the Senate where the right is in the majority.

However, the president of the upper house, Gérard Larcher (LR), warned against any temptation to "do a blow" and favors the verb "to act" (for the environment) to "guarantee".

"If you refuse to give in on the word guarantee, you will have a zero result", besides threatened the deputy LR Julien Aubert.

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