A fifth 49.3 in ambush
The 2023 Social Security draft budget, and its measures on prevention, medical deserts, or savings for biology laboratories, returns to a new reading on Monday before the deputies. In the absence of an absolute majority for the presidential camp, Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne should quickly trigger, as at first reading, the constitutional weapon of 49.3 to pass it without a vote.
An air of deja vu: this will be the fifth use of this tool by the head of government, and the opposition could retaliate by filing new motions of censure.
Another less conflicting financial text, providing for an anti-inflation extension for this year, could on the other hand be the subject of an agreement between deputies and senators which will then be on the menu of the Assembly on Wednesday.
Means for the Interior
Time for the solemn vote: after the senators, the deputies must validate on Tuesday the entire orientation and programming bill of the Ministry of the Interior (Lopmi), which provides for an additional 15 billion euros over five years , more than half of which are digital.
The exchanges at first reading during the past week were sometimes lively between Gérald Darmanin and part of the Nupes, who refuses a vision of the police “between Terminator and RoboCop”.
But the government hopes for a more conciliatory position of the Socialists, given the 8,500 police and gendarme posts to be created. He is also counting on support from LR deputies, and the voices of RNs could be added.
Abortion in the Constitution, Act I
The LFI group included in its reserved day (“niche”) Thursday a bill to engrave the right to abortion in the Constitution … four days before the agenda by the Renaissance deputies of a similar text.
The subject, sensitive on the right, has come back to the fore with the questioning of this right in the United States or even in Europe.
The rebels also mention in their text the right to contraception, a “corollary” according to their leader Mathilde Panot.
Even if the two constitutional proposals were adopted, the road would still be long. It would indeed require a conforming vote by the Senate and then a referendum, or else the government proposes its own text.
Bullfighting, debated in the arena
Another proposal chosen by the LFI group for Thursday is that of former journalist Aymeric Caron to ban bullfighting. His text has little chance of being adopted but has already sparked heated debates in committee, between defenders of a “regional cultural tradition” and animal rights activists.
His proposal causes embarrassment in the political groups, where the freedom to vote is required. The government intends to oppose the ban, and the Secretary of State in charge of Rurality Dominique Faure, who will represent it on the bench, called for “not to oppose emotion and attachment to the land”.
However, the text may not have time to be discussed within the time limit, or not entirely, due to the congestion of proposals in the LFI “niche”, 12 in total.
Renewable energies, heating tower
Already adopted in the Senate at first reading, the bill to accelerate the production of renewable energies is being examined in committee at the Palais Bourbon throughout the week, before its arrival in the hemicycle at the beginning of December. The government is looking for support, on the right and on the left.
