Paris (AFP)

Forty deputies face the Prime Minister and his Minister of Health, and an avalanche of questions, but "not an Inquisition court": kick-off on Wednesday of the fact-finding mission on the coronavirus, before its transformation in a committee of inquiry.

The holder of the perch Richard Ferrand (LREM) must become president and general reporter of this mission, whose constitutive meeting is held at 4.30pm, before his first hearing at 6.00pm by videoconference.

Edouard Philippe and Olivier Véran will answer the questions of the 31 members of this mission, from all the benches, to which are added the presidents of the eight political groups.

Lack of masks, tests, shortage of drugs, but also adjustment of economic and social measures, and further reproaches of foresight towards the executive will be on the menu, relaying questions from the French.

The mission will meet every Wednesday by videoconference and may, in addition to hearings, ask the government and the administration for additional information in writing.

It is only after the post-epidemic "return to normal" that this mission will acquire the powers of a commission of inquiry, to conduct in particular documentary and on-site investigations. Its general rapporteur will then be a LR deputy, which "cuts short any debate on a foreclosure", observed one parliamentary source LREM.

At this stage, the deputies must not "be mistaken", warns a minister: "It is an exercise of information, of transparency" which must not pour into the "prevention of the management of the crisis" for the government.

It is a question of understanding "how the decisions were chained", but the mission and the commission of inquiry which will result from it are not "a court of the inquisition" added Wednesday Richard Ferrand.

The boss of deputies "walkers" Gilles Le Gendre pleads for "national union" and "collective ethics", a bet that "will be held" with Mr. Ferrand at the helm, predicts a government source.

Senators LR also plan a commission of inquiry in the upper house, "when the time is right," according to their leader Bruno Retailleau.

- "Rational criticism" -

Majority and oppositions on the right and on the left are keen to continue "bringing democracy to life", notably by maintaining questions to the government every Tuesday at the Palais Bourbon and every Wednesday at the Palais du Luxembourg, in ultra-reduced numbers.

Especially since in a state of health emergency, Parliament has delegated part of its prerogatives to the government, while maintaining its control mission.

In mid-March, Mr. Ferrand had put on the table this fact-finding mission "on the impact, management and consequences" of the coronavirus, cutting the grass under the feet of opposition.

And when Damien Abad (LR) then announced his intention to create a commission of inquiry in the fall, the elected official from Finistère replied that it was up to the Assembly to take up the subject "in a pluralistic manner".

"We will not be in ideological quarrels but in concrete questions", assures AFP Mr. Abad, who plans after the time of crisis management that of "economic recovery" and then "political analysis" .

For their part, the Communist deputies, "not conquered" by the initiative of the majority, continue to consider launching their own commission of inquiry.

For the rebels, "national cohesion is not a blank check". Believing themselves in their role by expressing a "rational criticism", their leader Jean-Luc Mélenchon judged Wednesday "a little excessive" the tone of Emmanuel Macron with regard to the opposition.

While several complaints about the management of the crisis have been filed in court, the head of state on Tuesday called "irresponsible" those "who are already seeking to sue when we have not won the war ".

In a press release, Nicolas Dupont-Aignan (Standing France) for his part deemed "unacceptable" to be "excluded" from the mission like the RN in particular, Joachim Son-Forget having to sit on behalf of the non-registered.

Asked about France 2 Wednesday, Marine Le Pen said "nothing" to expect from the evening hearing due to the absence of the "first opposition party", arguing that "containment can not confine democracy either".

© 2020 AFP