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French President Emmanuel Macron during a meeting with residents of the Drôme in the framework of the great national debate, from which came the citizen convention for the climate. REUTERS / Emmanuel Foudrot / Pool

The Citizens' Convention for the climate wanted by Emmanuel Macron as one of the answers to the great national debate born of the crisis of the "yellow vests" is set up. 150 French will be drawn to think about new ecological solutions. The operation began Monday, August 26 and will end in late September, before a first meeting in early October, announced Monday the institution.

" The draw of 150 citizens is a key step that should allow the convention is " a France in small "," said Thierry Pech and Laurence Tubiana, co-chairs of the governance committee of the Convention for Citizen for Climate in a statement.

Phone numbers will be generated automatically - 85% of mobile and 15% of fixed - and about 250,000 people will be called, to select 150.

Criteria are set to best represent the French population: 52% of women for 48% of men, six age groups (if possible from 16 years of age), levels of diplomas, diversities of trades. The weight of the regions will also be taken into account, with four representatives for the Overseas, and the urban distribution between the urban centers, their crowns and the rural areas.

An unprecedented initiative in France

Six weekends of three days of work are scheduled, with a day balance, end of January 2020.

" The 150 citizens will benefit from compensation, on the model of jurors assizes (86 euros per day to which is added a compensation for loss of income). The costs of transport, accommodation and food will also be covered, and a child care allowance will be implemented, "the statement said.

The debates will be led by a governance committee co-chaired by the Terra Nova Foundation's Director General, Thierry Pech, and Laurence Tubiana, former negotiator for France at COP21.

" The government will then publish a provisional timetable for implementing these proposals. As a result, citizens will be able to formulate a common and public response to the government's responses , "says the convention.

In France, the implementation of a citizen convention is a novelty. For the Élysée, this form of participatory policy is the marker of an "act II" of the quinquennium that wants to be more open to dialogue.

To read also: France: who are the guarantors of the great national debate?

(With AFP)