Paris (AFP)

The Senate on Tuesday gave its agreement to the postponement of regional and departmental elections in June, due to the Covid-19 epidemic, Marlène Schiappa assuring that "there is no hidden government project" for a postponement to -of the.

The text adopted at first reading by a show of hands by the senators will be examined by the deputies on February 9.

Against the advice of the government, the Senate dominated by the right-wing opposition provided in an amendment that the second round would take place "no later than June 20".

The objective is to avoid a second round on the 27th, the first Sunday of summer vacation departures, which would encourage abstention.

Like the postponement of the elections in June, this amendment achieved consensus on the benches of the Senate, although tending to derogate from the electoral code which provides that the dates of the elections are fixed by the decree convening the voters taken by the government.

In accordance with the recommendations of the former president of the Constitutional Council, Jean-Louis Debré, the bill provides that "the next general renewal of the departmental councils, regional councils, the Corsican Assembly and the assemblies of Guyana and Martinique , will take place in June 2021 ".

"So far but no further", warned the rapporteur LR Philippe Bas, making himself the spokesperson for his colleagues from all sides.

"I would not like, as some have attributed the intention to the President of the Republic and the government, that behind the use of the health crisis hides in reality the wish for a postponement further than the month of June" , he said, warning against the temptation to "clear the way so that it is free until the presidential election".

A postponement of the regional after the presidential election of 2022 would encounter "constitutional difficulties", he stressed.

On the left, Eric Kerrouche (PS) estimated that "on the political level this reversal of the calendar would once again reflect the drift of our institutions where everything would proceed from the election of a republican monarch".

- Proxies facilitated -

The Minister in charge of Citizenship Marlène Schiappa wanted to be reassuring, affirming that "there is no hidden project of the government as regards the calendar".

The government will do "everything" so that the regional and departmental elections are held in June, she insisted.

To take into account a health threat still evolving, the initial text included a "review clause" providing that the committee of scientists submit, before April 1, a report to Parliament on "the state of the epidemic of Covid-19 "and the health risks attached to the holding of the polls.

The senators refocused the content of the report no longer on "the opportunity" to hold the elections, but on the "health supervision" required.

They also adopted several measures to facilitate the exercise of the right to vote, in particular by ensuring the ease of the use of proxies.

Thus, each voter could have two proxies, against one usually.

This facility was used for the postponed second round of municipal elections last June, but the government does not want to see it renewed, considering the risks of fraud "too high".

Likewise, the government opposed the granting of a power of attorney to a close relative who does not live in the same municipality.

Senators have also provided that the most fragile voters can establish their proxy from their home.

Ms. Schiappa indicated that in addition to health measures in polling stations (wearing a mask, distancing ...), the government is considering for this double regional / departmental ballot the possibility of pooling the functions of president and secretary polling stations and voting booths.

Regarding the electoral campaign, the bill provides for a 20% increase in the spending limit.

The senators also want public service radio and television channels to broadcast "campaign clips" of candidates for regional elections as for legislative or European elections.

The government withdrew an amendment to delete this provision.

© 2021 AFP