It is now official, the state of health emergency will be lifted in France from July 11. MPs had the last word on Thursday, July 2, when they voted one last time in favor of the bill (50 votes to 12). A little earlier, the senators, mainly on the right, had refused to vote for this text which provides for restrictions until the fall.

The free movement of people and the reception of the public in certain establishments, or gatherings, will remain well supervised under certain conditions. Tests may also be imposed for people traveling by plane between overseas territories and France. Finally, the text allows the extension of the conservation of certain data collected by health information systems, for epidemiological surveillance and research purposes, without identifying individuals.

"A false exit" from the state of emergency, for the opposition

Deemed too strict by the Senate, these restrictions prevented an agreement with the deputies last week. The president of the commission of the laws of the upper house, Philippe Bas (LR), estimated that the government wanted "to preserve the means of the state of emergency without saying it".

Same reproach at the other end of the hemicycle: the Socialist Party denounces a "false exit" with a state of emergency "in trompe-l'oeil while the Communist Party (PCF) judges it" dangerous ". deputy Alexis Corbière (France Insoumise) denounces a project "which reduces freedoms", worrying in particular about obstacles to the right to demonstrate while the return to school will be "hard".

Government Defends "Risk Of Second Deadly Wave"

The majority regrets this unjustified "trial of intent", considering that they have defended a "balanced" and "perishable" text. Guillaume Vuilletet (LREM) criticized the opposition for "resuming an old-fashioned policy, accusing the government of all evils, going to conspiracy", when the "sole objective is to fight the epidemic ".

The government has hammered out the need for "vigilance" in the face of the risk of a "second deadly wave" of the virus, defending "a crest line", "the only alternative" between a "dry exit" from the state of emergency and an extension. For the Minister of Health, Olivier Véran, most of the state of health emergency "disappears", but "not to keep certain measures, it would be as if the risks of restarting (of the epidemic) do not didn't exist ".

If it were necessary to decide on a new containment, such as the one put in place from March 17, the government would have to declare a state of health emergency again.

Guyana and Mayotte not concerned

"The objective is to do everything to avoid it," said Emmanuel Macron in an interview with the regional daily press Thursday evening, stressing that "we have not come out of the health crisis, but of its most acute phase". and evoking a phase of "great vigilance".

This lifting of the state of health emergency does not concern Guyana and Mayotte where it will be extended "until October 30 inclusive", because the virus is still actively circulating there, and even very actively in Guyana where the peak of epidemic is expected "mid-July-end of July".     

With AFP

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