The majority will apply in its electoral meetings for the presidential election the gauges announced by Prime Minister Jean Castex. And this, even if political activities are protected by the Constitutional Council. “Constitutional rules do not allow the setting of gauges at political meetings”, announced on Twitter the President of the National Assembly Richard Ferrand, Monday, December 27. “But obviously the presidential majority will impose itself to respect the gauges fixed in all its events.”
“As LaREM, I will participate in the commission convened by the Minister of the Interior on the organization of the presidential election. But it goes without saying that we will apply the gauges decided upon for all events”, his also confirmed on Twitter, less than four months before the presidential election.
As LaREM, I will participate in the commission convened by the Minister of the Interior on the organization of the presidential election.
But it goes without saying that we will apply the agreed gauges for all events. https://t.co/CP4C78H30Y– Stanislas Guerini (@StanGuerini) December 27, 2021
“Any meeting organizer must be careful, who would be a candidate who would like to reach the supreme office and who would not be able to protect the people who are with him present?”, asked Tuesday on franceinfo Thierry Solère, LREM deputy and political advisor to Emmanuel Macron, while acknowledging “that there will probably be fewer French people in public meetings at the time of Covid than without Covid.”
Political meetings without gauges: “Requiring constraints on parties would be unconstitutional”, explains Thierry Solère, political advisor to Emmanuel Macron and LREM deputy for Hauts-de-Seine
Follow the live https://t.co/cEwi3c61QM pic.twitter.com/kdMhEsd2P6
– franceinfo (@franceinfo) December 28, 2021
Jean Castex announced the return of the gauges, set at 2,000 people maximum indoors and 5,000 outdoors. But he specified that the meetings of the electoral campaign would not be affected by these measures. “Political and electoral activities are subject to specific provisions in our constitutional law which provide them (…) even stronger protection”, he explained. Several artists, such as Julien Doré, Eddy de Pretto or Hoshi, have quipped on social networks about the new rules applied to concerts but not to political meetings.
Jean Castex also announced that a commission on the organization of the presidential election would be “without a doubt” brought together by the Minister of the Interior Gérald Darmanin, in the presence of all political parties. This commission will allow “agree on rules which are obviously protective in relation to the health situation but which take into account the specificity of this fundamental activity, that is to say ultimately the exercise of democracy”.