Highlights: France: Gabriel Attal will answer questions from deputies alone during five sessions. A new face-to-face meeting with the Prime Minister inspired by the practice of the House of Commons in the United Kingdom. A first experiment has been underway since the end of November and until theend of June, with two sessions, on Tuesday (1h15) and Wednesday (45 mins) instead of just one lasting two hours on Tuesday. According to several sources, a majority of political groups opposed the face- to-face.

Experimentally, the French Prime Minister will respond “personally” to deputies during Wednesday question sessions with the government, starting April 3 and for five sessions,…

France: Gabriel Attal will answer questions from deputies alone during five sessions

In an experimental manner, the French Prime Minister will respond “

personally

” to MPs during Wednesday question sessions with the government, starting April 3 and for five sessions, AFP learned this Tuesday March 26 from parliamentary sources. A new face-to-face meeting with the Prime Minister inspired by the practice of the House of Commons in the United Kingdom.

Prime Minister Gabriel Attal during the question session to the government at the National Assembly, March 26, 2024. © AFP / JULIEN DE ROSA

By: RFI with AFP

This experiment, to which

Gabriel Attal

was favorable, was decided on Tuesday March 26 following a meeting of the heads of political groups in the National Assembly, around the president of the lower house of Parliament, Yaël Braun-Pivet.

“

These developments will come into force from Wednesday April 3 for a duration of five sessions, i.e. until Wednesday May 29 inclusive

,” according to a press release from the presidency. This new formula is “

part of the ongoing discussions

” to “

energize

” the question sessions with the government.

Yaël Braun-Pivet wishes in particular to “

reaffirm

” the place of questions to the government “

among the highlights of parliamentary life

”, while these filmed sessions are experiencing growing disinterest from both MPs and the public.

A new formula poorly received by parliamentary groups

A first experiment has been underway since the end of November and until the end of June, with two sessions, on Tuesday (1h15) and Wednesday (45 mins), instead of just one lasting two hours on Tuesday. According to several sources, a majority of political groups opposed the face-to-face with Gabriel Attal: the environmentalist, socialist, rebellious and communist groups were against, as were Horizons and the MoDem, members of the majority. The four favorable groups (Renaissance, Les Républicains, Rassemblement national and Liot), however, represented more deputies than the other six.

“

It was hotter than expected

,” a parliamentary source told AFP after the meeting of group leaders. The President of the Assembly “

put a lot of weight behind the experimentation

,” according to a source close to her, explaining that a compromise had been found by proposing an experiment lasting five sessions.

The Horizons group was reluctant in the name

of "a risk of desacralization of the Prime Minister's words, if he is required to answer all the questions week after week

." But he welcomed the fact that the formula is being tested experimentally.

Questions to the Government allow MPs from all sides to ask questions of the government, and get answers in front of the cameras. In their traditional form, only group leaders can address the Prime Minister directly. This face-to-face meeting with the head of government is inspired by the practice of the House of Commons in the

United Kingdom

Read alsoFrance: Attal announces “exceptional means” in the face of “Islamist terrorism”

France: Gabriel Attal will answer questions from deputies alone during five sessions

France: Gabriel Attal will answer questions from deputies alone during five sessions

A new formula poorly received by parliamentary groups

You may like

Trends 24h

Latest