After two weeks of commotion and procrastination, the day following new demonstrations, the National Assembly drew a line under the parliamentary shuttle of the bill establishing the vaccine pass: it was adopted. Two of the three meager consolations that the Senate had tried to provide were rejected by the deputies. Next and final step before promulgation: the Constitutional Council.
A half-empty hemicycle
The text was adopted by 215 votes to 58, with 7 abstentions. In other words, 297 absent from the decisive vote. It must be said that the blunder of Bruno Retailleau, who had declared himself victorious a little too early on Friday followingnoon, surprised more than one. Because of his overzealousness, the parliamentarians had to choose between the weekend and the extension of the debates. Obviously, many preferred the weekend.
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The left opposed
« What have you done with our souls? François Ruffin was outraged and defended the fundamental liberties apparently dear to rebellious France. Paul Molac, of Libertés et territories, called on the executive not to ” confusing health campaign and electoral campaign “. Remarks supported by André Chassaigne, of the Communist Party, who assured the uselessness of the vaccination pass, which does not prevent contamination, while qualifying it as ” communication tool ».
Martine Wonner, as usual, was also opposed to the text. She called for France to look at other European countries calling for normal life, while assuring that the country had “ delay due to La République en Marche ».
A powerless Senate
The senators had proposed to remove the identity check by the owners of establishments subject to the vaccination pass, to spare minors from the same pass, and to withdraw the penalty incurred by companies not respecting the health protocol (telework, gauges , etc)
Finally, there remains of their modifications only that concerning the children; children under sixteen will be exempt from the vaccination pass and will remain subject to the health pass. The rest was taken over by the National Assembly to return to the original text. Some would have concluded: all that for that?
Finally, the government plans the application of the vaccination pass for January 20, anticipating a seizure of the Constitutional Council before that. The left has already promised to do so.