Separatism bill: unions deem the text "unbalanced"

The unions criticized Wednesday the bill against separatism as being "unbalanced", the CGT denouncing a "punitive" text and the CFDT considering that it may be the bearer of "incomplete and problematic" answers, during a hearing at The national assembly.

Before the special committee of deputies responsible for examining the bill which will be on the menu of the National Assembly from the beginning of February, Frédéric Sève, national secretary of the CFDT, considered that this text "reinforces the respect of the principles of the Republic "starts from a" correct "observation. 

But, he added, the answers "can be incomplete and problematic", the CFDT regretting in particular that the question of Islam in France "underlying the debate around this law", has "a tendency to be treated. from the reductive angle of vigilance towards radical Islam ".

Like other trade unions, he said he was "qualified" as to Article 1 providing for the extension of the duty of neutrality to employees of public service delegated companies, believing that "precision work" will be required.

"A catch-all text that does not correspond to its title", according to the CGT 

In the process, Nathalie Verdeil (CGT) stressed that her union was "obviously in favor of the fight against the rise of fundamentalism", but denounced "a catch-all text that does not correspond to its title, nor to the intentions given in media presentations ".

This text "is generally punitive", "its security and ideological approach is dangerous because it does not attack the roots of the problem and the risk is to reinforce a feeling of exclusion of a part of the population", he said. - she added, also judging the text "not precise enough" on the aspect of neutrality.

FO, through Roxane Idoudi, also deemed "of course essential" to act to "protect everyone", but said it was "attentive, attached and committed to the constant defense of democracy and freedoms ", Gérard Mardiné (CFE-CGC) also inviting to find" the right balance ".

Cyril Chabanier, president of the CFTC, considered that "the intention of this text is rather legitimate", but in turn judged that it "lacks a certain balance".

"It could be perceived in the state of its drafting as essentially repressive, that is what poses a problem to us", he continued.

Same observation of a text "unbalanced" for Benoît Teste (FSU), according to which "there is a strong risk of targeting a religious practice, of stigmatizing it", while Emilie Trigo (Unsa) reported "questions" on the very need to legislate.