Paris (AFP)
The senatorial elections, which should allow the renewal by half of the Senate dominated by the right-wing opposition, will be held on Sunday September 27, according to the date advanced Wednesday by the Minister of the Interior Christophe Castaner in the hemicycle of the Luxembourg Palace .
The minister clarified that it was a "proposal", which still needs to be "formalized" by decree. "But it is the custom of the last Sunday" of September.
Every three years, the senators are renewed by "series" for six years, by a college of great voters composed essentially of municipal councilors. Mr. Castaner proposes that the municipal councils - which will have been entirely renewed at the end of the second round of municipal elections now scheduled for June 28 - "may be convened on Friday July 10 for the designation of the electors".
Mr. Castaner was speaking during the examination at first reading of an organic bill providing for the postponement for one year, in September 2021, of the renewal of 6 senators representing the French abroad.
This provision is the consequence of the postponement - due to the epidemic of coronavirus - in May 2021 of the consular elections which were to be held in May of this year for the French established outside of France.
The organic bill was adopted by 262 votes to 73. It will be examined by the National Assembly on June 29.
The organic bill initially provided for the postponement of the senatorial elections scheduled in September to renew 178 senators, since the second round of municipal elections could not have taken place in June, preventing the complete renewal of the electorate.
The hypothesis has been abandoned, the second round of municipal elections is now scheduled for June 28, as Emmanuel Macron confirmed on Sunday.
"The scenario of postponing senatorial elections nationwide is ruled out," said Mr. Castaner.
The postponement of the election of the only senators of French citizens abroad was nevertheless the subject of a debate relating to the analysis of constitutional law.
"We have here a solution which is unpleasant (...), to resolve to do so there must be a major imperative", underlined the president of the commission of the Laws Philippe Bas (LR), regretting that the government did not take the advice of the Council of State.
Socialist Jean-Pierre Sueur, for his part, considered, like several elected LRs, that this election should be held on the same date as that of the other senators of the same series, that is to say September 2020, even if the great voters concerned did not would not have been renewed.
"We have chosen the most prudent solution", estimated Richard Yung (LREM), while Muriel Jourda (LR) estimated that "if it does not offer absolute certainty, it is certainly that which presents the least risks" .
© 2020 AFP