The National Assembly adopts a textual content to battle in opposition to international interference | EUROtoday

The National Assembly adopted on Wednesday March 27, at first studying, a invoice meant to fight international interference. This textual content notably offers for an experiment permitting intelligence providers to make use of algorithmic surveillance methods, presently reserved for anti-terrorism.

The textual content was largely adopted with 171 votes in favor and 25 in opposition to, regardless of sure fears on the left concerning the drafting of the textual content and potential repercussions on particular person freedoms. He will now go to the Senate.

The invoice, carried by the president of the regulation committee, Sacha Houlié (Renaissance), offers for a four-year experiment. During this, the intelligence providers may use it within the title of “national independence”of “the integrity of the territory and [de] protection “of the “major foreign policy interests”of “the execution of France’s European and international commitments”the fight against “any form of foreign interference or attempted foreign interference”.

This large perimeter worries the left. In the Hemicycle on Tuesday, Mr. Houlié tried to reassure, arguing that the wording chosen would act like a funnel and restrict the scope of application to the fight against interference.

Socialists and environmentalists have tried in vain to add more safeguards. Pointing out risks for “fundamental freedoms”Anna Pic (Socialist Party) however voted for the principle of a mid-term evaluation report, after two years.

The text also provides for the possibility of freezing the financial assets of persons, companies or entities engaging in defined interference activities. MPs from the Les Républicains and Rassemblement national groups generally supported the measures, while criticizing a lack of ambition.