Paris (AFP)
The National Assembly is launching its online platform of citizens' petitions on Thursday which, with at least 500,000 signatures, can be the subject of a debate in the hemicycle, announced the presidency of the institution on Tuesday.
Following the reform of the Assembly's rules of procedure in 2019, in order to revive this right, "petitions can now be submitted and opened for signature to all on a dedicated website", "petitions.assemblee-nationale.fr ", she said in a statement.
"Each petition will be systematically referred to a standing committee which will appoint a rapporteur to decide to examine and debate it", continues the presidency.
They will be put online on the website of the National Assembly as soon as they are supported by more than 100,000 petitioners and, when a petition is signed by more than 500,000 people from at least 30 departments, it will be able to do so. subject of debate in public session.
Petitions must be written in French and signed by adults, of French nationality or legally residing in France.
The right to petition arose from the French Revolution, but it fell into disuse.
The Senate launched its own platform last January, but it is failing to take off.
There were 46 petitions on Tuesday on "petitions.senat.fr".
The most supported currently has 8,957 signatories, in favor of "the prohibition of the keeping of animals in circuses".
But the average number of signatures for all petitions is only 305.
© 2020 AFP