Covid-19: towards a restriction of freedoms for the unvaccinated in France?
A bill proposed by the French government proposes to be able to create movement restrictions in certain places for those who do not get vaccinated.
CHANDAN KHANNA AFP / File
Text by: Anthony Lattier Follow
5 mins
In the future, should we have been vaccinated to move around or enter certain places in France?
The French government proposes to offer the possibility to the Prime Minister to take such a measure.
While the executive has chosen not to make vaccination compulsory, this measure is denounced as a restriction of freedoms for the unvaccinated.
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A vaccine to go to a retirement home or to go abroad?
This could be made possible by
a bill
, tabled Monday, December 21 in the Council of Ministers, which establishes a "
sustainable management regime for health emergencies
" then the state of health emergency ends on April 1.
The government presents it as a "
toolbox
" which will provide a "
sustainable legal framework
" to deal with pandemics.
Among the proposed measures, one in particular is causing concern in the opposition.
In the context of a state of health emergency, the Prime Minister could have the possibility of "
subordinating the movements of people, their access to means of transport or to certain places, as well as the exercise of certain activities to the presentation of results of a screening test following [...] preventive treatment, including the administration of a vaccine, or curative treatment.
"
►Also listen: Report France - In nursing homes, vaccination does not please everyone
An attack on freedom of movement for the opposition
This provision goes against what the executive promised, criticizes the deputy Les Républicains, Philippe Gosselin, co-author with the deputy La République en Marche Sacha Houlié of a parliamentary report on the state of health emergency: “
There is an inconsistency
: the President of the Republic says that the vaccine is not obligatory and there we will eventually establish a
“ health passport ”
in the form of blackmail that threatens freedom of movement, perhaps to the freedom to work.
In addition, it totally blurs the current message on the need for vaccination
!
"
Even more virulent, the spokesperson for the far-right party RN Sébastien Chenu denounces the establishment of a "
health dictatorship
".
"
No to the restriction of our public freedoms,
" tweets for his part the deputy La France Insoumise Alexis Corbière.
🔴 # vaccination: NO TO THE RESTRICTION OF OUR PUBLIC FREEDOMS! 🔴
The gvrnt is considering restrictions on movement depending on whether we are vaccinated or not.
When it comes to restricting our public freedoms, we need a collective discussion!
#GGRMC 👇https: //t.co/GS6ySS1hYH
- Alexis Corbière (@alexiscorbiere) December 22, 2020
The government and the majority are trying to reassure
In response, the government is trying to demine.
He explains that this is not a measure to fight the current epidemic, but to face a more serious crisis in the future.
"
This provision is not intended to be used [...] to establish an obligation of vaccination against Covid-19
", specifies the impact study of the bill, but "
to face an epidemic threat more serious still
”or to“
replace [er] a general confinement of the population
”.
In the presidential majority, we also want to reassure.
For the deputy La République en Marche Sacha Houlié, the provision does not call into question the doctrine on vaccination: “
I think that there is an awkward explanation around this text.
The vaccine is not compulsory, but to protect certain places or certain professions it could be foreseen that it is recommended to do so or that it is desirable that everyone has had a vaccine, even more if one has to make a visit in a retirement home
”.
Faced with the outcry, the Minister of Health Olivier Véran is however ready to make arrangements: this text "
is intended to make its way, to mature
", he said during a trip to Chanteloup-en -Brie.
This promises a troubled start to the year in the National Assembly where the text must be examined from January 12 in the Law Commission.
►Also read: Analysis - 2021, a flammable France?
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