Cough, empty seats ... Strange recovery session in a confined assembly

• In the midst of a coronavirus crisis, a new session of questions to the government was held in the National Assembly on Thursday.
• "More than ever, the National Assembly is the beating heart of our Republic and our democracy," launched the President of the National Assembly.
• The shortage of masks was pointed out by the opposition.

Agnes Pannier-Runacher coughs. The fifth only lasts a few seconds, but it resounds in an almost empty hemicycle. Surprised, her government colleague Gabriel Attal looks at her with concern. Tense smiles, too, for the handful of elected officials present at the National Assembly. "It is highly inappropriate in the context" of the coronavirus, concedes the secretary of state. "I suggest you take a break so that you can have a glass of water," says assembly chief Richard Ferrand, grand prince.

When your colleague coughs in the open space and you are less than a meter away. #DirectAN #ContainmentDay3 #coronavirus #QAG pic.twitter.com/z7CkQ9dXlo

The anecdote illustrates the strange atmosphere surrounding this unprecedented session of questions to the government, this Thursday morning at the Palais Bourbon, while France is struck by the pandemic, and after several days of interruption due to the municipal elections.

France “lacks explanations for delivery delays. She lacks truth ”

It is around 9 am that Richard Ferrand opens the session with seriousness. "More than ever, the National Assembly is the beating heart of our Republic and our democracy". The President recalled the exceptional rules imposed by confining the twenty or so deputies present: two questions per political group to the half-dozen ministers present only. He specifies: "I invite the speakers not to put their hands on the microphone, it will be cleaned after each intervention".

Damien Abad sticks to it first. A few words on "national union", to better attack. "Saving lives, Mr. Prime Minister, is taking up the health challenge of a medical France in lack of means", launches the boss of elected LR, denouncing the lack of masks, resuscitation beds, drugs. France “lacks explanations for delivery delays. It lacks truth ”.

- @Valerie_Rabault wants clarification from the government on mask shortages and the frequency of testing. The president of the PS group also wishes to cancel the contributions rather than a postponement for the self-employed. # DirectAN #QAG # COVID2019France pic.twitter.com/rD0FWw7gKo

This shortage of masks is noted by several opposition deputies, such as Valérie Rabault. "Several million French people continue to work, cashiers, postmen, firefighters, all the medical staff, who go to work with anxiety for themselves and their family", points out the president of the socialist group, who asks for the requisition of production factories that can help make them.

Olivier Véran demines the controversy around masks

Edouard Philippe, in a low voice, answered questions. "We have increased the number of masks we have, we are now above 100 million and we are distributing them," insisted the head of government. "The wearing of the mask by the general population is not recommended, it is useless and deprives those who need it," he adds, denouncing "thefts and the black market".

Olivier Véran tries to clear the controversy over the lack of equipment, pointing to a decision by previous governments. “Until 2013, not 2020, there were up to 1 billion state stock masks. And then it was decided in 2013 that this state stock was no longer essential ”. The Minister of Health then evokes a destocking in recent days of nearly 30 million masks to equip pharmacies, hospitals, nursing homes, and health transport organizations.

Mask shortage: "In 2013, it was decided that the billion state stock was no longer essential", underlines @olivierveran before detailing the distribution of masks between the various professional health sectors. #DirectAN #QAG pic.twitter.com/Uv5KaHGtNn

Buzyn controversy erupts

A little later, Mathilde Panot was more incisive. "There cannot be, Mr. Prime Minister of unity in the country without confidence in your action", decides the rebellious deputy, referring to the controversy over the postponement of the first round of the municipal elections and the remarks of Agnes Buzyn, who says have alerted in January about the situation to come. "Why didn't you implement the necessary measures, then?" Why are we late in the production of masks, protective gloves and hydroalcoholic gel? To answer these questions, the elected representative calls for the creation of a “permanent parliamentary committee of follow-up” for the “democratic control” of government action.

“Every day, there is an exercise in transparency towards the French. All inquiries that need to be done will be done in due course. You can imagine that, now, we are busy helping caregivers to care for lives… ”, calmly sweeps Olivier Véran. The Minister also refuses to argue about the words of Agnes Buzyn. "If we had not had an informed Minister of Health and a government, we could never have intervened as we did."

After more than an hour and a half of discussion, Richard Ferrand closed the meeting by thanking the staff of the Assembly. MPs met in the afternoon to vote on emergency measures to deal with the epidemic. He says, "Thank you for stepping out." Equally strange, those around Agnès Pannier-Runacher want to be reassured in the process. His cough was just a "cat in the throat" linked to the "stress" of responding in these circumstances to the "QAG".

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• Government
• epidemic
• Deputy
• Parliament
• Coronavirus
• National Assembly