Officially, deputies and senators work until June 30. But while the executive promises to multiply the reforms, an extraordinary summer session is organized. Jean-Rémi Baudot’s political brief.
This is the open secret of the moment in Parliament: to make deputies and senators work a little more this summer to try to pass reforms, before the summer break. It must be said that the subjects are potentially numerous: France Travail, justice, green industry…
So many texts in an already crowded calendar. This is why no one believes that the ordinary session of June 30 will be enough. “I can tell you that no deputy has already booked his vacations”, laughs an adviser.
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The bad memory of last summer
Convening an extraordinary session is a prerogative of the President of the Republic: he must publish a decree in June with the agenda for the session, according to very political choices. Matignon affirms that the question has not yet been decided, but according to our information from franceinfo, the subject was indeed addressed at the top of the State, in particular during exchanges between Emmanuel Macron and the Presidents of the two assemblies, Yaël Braun- Pivet and Gerard Larcher.
The two have set their conditions: agree to extend the work, but not after Sunday July 23. Hypothesis submitted to the Conference of Presidents at the Assembly. No question of reliving a session until August like last year. Like all French people, parliamentarians need a vacation. The months of pension debates have been trying. But this possible extraordinary session is not just a matter of timing, it can also become a political weapon.
An extraordinary session offers an additional “49.3”
There is a text in the pipes that resonates with the sweet name of “LPFP” for Public Finance Programming Law. Its aim: to plan the revenue and expenditure of the State over several years. The executive can live without it – it was moreover rejected at the end of 2022 – but if it were adopted, it would allow European funds to be released and the end of the Recovery Plan. So many precious billions.
However, who says extraordinary session, says additional “49.3”. According to several deputies and ministers, Elisabeth Borne will end up activating a “49.3”, despite her promises to no longer use it. And it could be, for example, on this budget text. The hypothesis is on the table.
It remains to be seen how the oppositions will take the extension of the debates. Even that is not official yet, everyone has understood that parliament will sit for three more weeks in July. A leading communist MP warns: “I don’t care, end of July, I’m taking my vacation no matter what“, before proceeding”Our grandparents fought for paid holidays, we’re still not going to be fooled“. The executive is warned.