The National Refoundation Council: a new “thing”?

A thing, yes, to use General de Gaulle’s poetic word for the UN! So, what is this “National Council for Refoundation”, announced on Friday June 3 by the President of the Republic, an ambitious nod to the National Council of Resistance? It is, Olivia Grégoire, the spokesperson of the Government, who specifies the composition:

“The way we are going to be able to work with all of the stakeholders in our country – I am obviously thinking of the political parties, but I am also thinking of the trade unions, I am thinking of the associations, I am thinking of the living forces, of these stakeholders. I think of the local elected officials, of course, of the territories which have also been mentioned – to associate us all together”.

Here, a consultation, therefore, between: “political parties, trade unions, associations, active forces and local elected officials”. Well… why not! Why not at this point that it still reminds us of another institution: the Economic, Social and Environmental Council, the EESC, which is specifically responsible for involving associations, unions and economic forces in political decisions. And if we don’t often hear about the CESE… it’s because the government rarely listens to it!

Why, then, this new advice? This is a question that we can ask ourselves… But let’s wait! Perhaps the National Council for Refoundation has a real raison d’être… “The National Council for Refoundation see it more as a method than as a structure”, details Olivier Véran, the minister responsible for democratic life in particular.

Implement a “new method” : here then is this rationale, which has been repeated ad nauseam by the two ministers concerned, as well as by Emmanuel Macron for that matter throughout the campaign! But what exactly is this new method? “The objective of the CNR will be to associate all the stakeholders. To address together the major challenges to which we must respond, by considering, once again, each time, the local and territorial aspect of the implementation of the reforms”

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There you go, so I think it’s clear… or not. In this sentence, if not to announce that the government is going to consult (which all governments always announce), there is not the beginning of the beginning of a content brought to this famous new method.

No specific information? No. The two ministers contented themselves with aligning vague politico-administrative concepts, which are nothing more than grand declarations of intent. But, at the turn of a formula, and without wanting it, I believe despite everything that Olivier Véran revealed to us the true objective of this Council…

“What is the principle? It’s being able to share diagnoses and being able to pose a certain number of problems or objectives. That means that there is also a sharing of constraints, by all the actors, whether in the territories or at the national level, to better explain the public policy decision-making processes to the French.”

Olivier Veran

franceinfo

Then, there, it is necessary to connect the decoder. “Share a diagnosis and pose a number of problems or objectives” : it does not mean anything, if not the setting up of a form of dialogue. On the other hand, what comes next, it makes sense: “there is also a sharing of constraints by all the actors, to better explain the public policy decision-making processes to the French”. Understand the constraints that weigh on public policy decisions. It sounds complicated, but it can be summed up in one word. The role of this council will be to do… pedagogy! Explain why the government makes the decisions it makes.

Explain… and absolutely not co-construct! Moreover, Olivier Véran realizes this: immediately afterwards, he adds “and also better involve citizens” . We feel that this is not the heart of the matter. In short, we’ll see what happens, but for now, this new method is very similar to the old practice of consultation. The government allows dialogue, listens… and decides on its own.