France “of compromise”, we are getting there, very slowly. After five days of discussions and after a whole night of stormy debates, the deputies therefore adopted the “emergency” bill for purchasing power at first reading.
>> After five days of heated debate, the National Assembly adopts the bill on purchasing power
This text, adopted a little before 6 a.m., does not fully convince the opposition parties who voted for it. And who have expressed reservations. The Republicans and the National Rally in particular, whose voices were decisive in passing the law. Without pun intended, the debates were also electric on energy, or before that on the question of income; the left pleading on one side for the increase in wages, the right and the majority sticking to bonuses and the facilitation of profit-sharing schemes.
There were very virulent moments: many suspensions of sessions, personal questioning within the hemicycle, of deputies, ministers, session presidents… But no matter the way, basically, since this morning, indeed, the text is adopted. Largely with 341 votes for.
“The spirit of responsibility prevailed“, therefore welcomes Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne. And she can congratulate herself. Admittedly amended, it is the text of the government which is adopted. The oppositions have not succeeded in imposing a counter-project.
The emergency bill for purchasing power is adopted! The spirit of responsibility prevailed to protect our fellow citizens from the consequences of inflation.
Building majorities of projects to provide concrete solutions to the French, we have succeeded. pic.twitter.com/ojVsappk2H
— Elisabeth BORNE (@Elisabeth_Borne) July 22, 2022
If we talk a lot about the violence of the debates in the hemicycle, a little nuance all the same, because it was not only that. Since Monday, there have also been substantive debates, which have led the majority and the government to make concessions. Minimal, certainly: as on the terms of operation of an LNG terminal in Le Havre, on the use of used oils as fuel, a proposal from environmentalists…
Before that, the government also rallied to a Republican proposal on the status of spouses of self-employed workers. This allows the executive to take credit for itself: that of having been able to hear, of having allowed itself to be convinced. To have kept his promise not to reject in principle what did not come from his initial bill. And if need be, even when he was outvoted, that is to say when provisions were adopted in spite of him, when the opposition groups formed a bloc – this happened a few times – well even there, Elisabeth Borne and her ministers can say: this is parliamentary work.
It should be noted, however, that what was adopted at the Assembly is not set in stone. There remains the discussion in the Senate, where the debates are generally more polite. It will be necessary to carefully monitor possible agreements to undo the provisions torn off by the oppositions in the Assembly.
One question remains: can this last for a five-year term? Yes, on two conditions. The first: that the executive continue to show humility. Like what happened Thursday, July 21 on an amendment by the socialist Valérie Rabault: the government was first opposed to it, before to give a favorable opinion after a lively discussion.
Second condition: no longer brandishing the weapon of dissolution which, in fact, leads each rank to cower on its political reflexes, to be less inclined to good faith. No group has the means to hold the length of the marathon sessions, as has been the case since the start of the week. There will be a few in the coming days, probably on the nationalization of EDF, for example. But that can only hold until the debates on retirement, which for many MPs will be the mother of battles. And on which it will undoubtedly be more difficult to snatch an agreement.