the National Assembly asks the federal government to submit the free commerce treaty to it | EUROtoday

The victory is just symbolic, however extremely political. The National Assembly adopted, Thursday, May 30, a communist proposal to ask the federal government to submit the CETA free commerce treaty between the European Union (EU) and Canada, opposed by all oppositions.

Without binding worth, this decision was adopted by 151 votes (in opposition to 4) due to a coalition of the left, LR and RN, whereas the presidential camp abstained. It goals to place stress again on the chief, after the rejection of the CETA ratification invoice within the Senate in March. Following this setback, the federal government determined to postpone the examination of CETA within the National Assembly.

Adopted in 2017 at European stage, the free commerce settlement is already utilized in France, however the ratification textual content is stagnating within the parliamentary shuttle. Ten days earlier than the Europeans, the topic is “instrumentalized” in a manner “electoralist”accused the Minister for Foreign Trade, Franck Riester, who electrified the hemicycle by denouncing the “disappointing spectacle of those who lie” on the consequences of CETA and “indecency” of a “covenant of circumstance” between “red, pink, green, blue and navy blue” oppositions.

It's a ” good agreement “specifically for milk and cheese producers and wine growers, affirmed the federal government which doesn’t intend to submit CETA to deputies earlier than the top of 2024 or the start of 2025, after a parliamentary mission entrusted to Macronist deputy Benoit Mournet and to center-right senator Daniel Fargeot.

A “democratic hold-up”

The postponement of the examination of the textual content is a casus belli for the opposition: “it’s extraordinarily uncommon underneath the V^e Republic “, notes the president of the communist group, André Chassaigne. In the hemicycle, the deputy shelled the “total opacity” negotiations around CETA, the “GMO rapeseed”THE “beef quota” imported. This agreement is a “democratic hold-up”engaged ecologist Marie Pochon.

RN elected official Timothée Houssin denounced the “competition from Canadian factory farms” ; and that of LR Pierre-Henri Dumont, a “bypassing Parliament”. Facing them, it was the Renaissance deputy of the French of North America (Canada, United States) Christopher Weissberg who defended the agreement and castigated a “grandstand” of the opposition before the European elections.

“CETA rules are more favorable for our farmers and wine growers than non-agreement trade rules. We will have to explain why we want to leave an agreement that helps our farmers more than Canadians”he pleads.

Anticipating a trial for democratic obstruction, the Renaissance group decided to abstain on the communists' text. “A bilateral agreement with Canada is much better than the law of the jungle of common law trade”also declared the elected representative of the MoDem Jean-Louis Bourlanges.

The communists still aim for several victories

During the rest of this day reserved for communist proposals, Pierre Dharréville (Bouches-du-Rhône) will call for constitutionalizing Social Security, which he regularly considers the victim of liberal offensives, but his text had been rejected in committee.

The group can nevertheless aim for several more victories, particularly if it manages to put to the vote before the end of the debates at midnight a bill from the national secretary of the PCF, Fabien Roussel, for better management of cancer-related care. of the breast.

The text, aimed at reimbursing “all care”, including so-called “support” ones (hair prostheses, renewal of breast prostheses, etc.), was adopted in committee, but an amendment from the ranks of Renaissance nevertheless excluded excess fees. LFI and socialist deputies will propose to reinstate them. Before that, several texts concerning the overseas territories could receive a favorable vote, such as that requesting the creation of a commission of inquiry into indecency and lack of access to social housing, carried by Karine Lebon (Réunion).

A text by Frédéric Maillot (Réunion) aimed at offering the learning of regional languages ​​and cultures in nursery and elementary schools in these territories was also approved in committee. At the opening, Martinique MP Marcellin Nadeau passed a resolution calling for public policies to anticipate and contribute more to the prevention of risks linked to climate change and rising water levels in coastal cities.