“Emmanuel Macron can make France a real democracy” | EUROtoday

On May 13, 2025

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Lhe title of the e book is intentionally provocative. In Make France a democracy (Passes composed), Raphaël Doan, an essayist related to classical letters, writer of a number of exceptional historic essays, invitations you to mirror on the very notion of democracy. In the etymological sense of the time period, France shouldn’t be one, in keeping with him. It may very well be, nevertheless, if Emmanuel Macron had recourse, within the final section of his mandate, within the referendum. The speculation of a a number of selection referendum, envisaged, would enable, in keeping with Raphaël Doan, to keep away from the pitfall of the plebiscite for or in opposition to Macron. This majority of a majority, with no majority since his re-election in 2022, will resolve it? Response parts earlier than the 2 -hour interview on TF1, this Tuesday, May 13.

The level: In your e book, you defend the significance of the common enchantment to the referendum and plead in favor of a “mixed” regime, a “semi-driver democracy”. What wouldn’t it be?

Raphaël Doan: The thought is to lengthen the logic already current in our Constitution, which associates part of monarchy – the presidential election with common suffrage – and a share of actual democracy, which consists in permitting residents to rule immediately on a very powerful legal guidelines. Basically, it’s a query of counting on the traditional sense of democracy: that the individuals governs by themselves, by associating them with our trendy establishments. It is already technically attainable due to article 11, however it’s been twenty years now that it has not been used.

You write that we’re additionally mistaken in regards to the very which means of the referendum, by decreasing it to a easy plebiscite. For what ?

It is wrongly believed that the referendum is a vote for or in opposition to the president. However, it’s above all a instrument for resolving political blockages. In a scenario just like the one we all know, a nationwide meeting divided into three blocks, the referendum would make it attainable to generate clear majorities and restore a capability for motion. It shouldn’t be a query of deciding on the recognition of the top of state, however of validating a reform on a basic topic. This can vary from power to immigration, together with societal points: to take solely an instance, the examination of the 2 legal guidelines on the top of life has simply began within the Assembly. Surveys present that overwhelming majority of French persons are favorable to euthanasia and assisted suicide. A referendum would make it attainable to determine this query rapidly and clearly.

With political will, the referendum could be a actual instrument of presidency. Countries like Switzerland or Taiwan often use it efficiently, with out falling into “tyranny of the majority”, nor in populism. Switzerland, particularly, reveals {that a} trendy state, which has greater than 8 million inhabitants, can work with a big dose of direct democracy.

Does Emmanuel Macron have the means to “make France a democracy”, to make use of the title, a bit provocative, of your work?

It is feasible however it will require a very daring act: it will be essential to determine to undergo the vote of the French of decisive topics. Does it legally the means? Not fairly, insofar as the present state of the legislation limits the sphere of questions that may be requested by the use of a referendum. It would subsequently be essential to revise the Constitution, what it had been deliberate to do for a time. There can be a political constraint: being in energy for eight years, he can hesitate to submit topics to the referendum on which he has already adopted reforms, for some to forceps. He must settle for the likelihood that his measures be unraveled. But what different choices have been provided to a hindered president, with out majority since his re -election in 2022? If he resolves himself, he’ll depart a historic legacy, opening a brand new period of the V^e Republic. He has the chance to make France an actual democracy.

Do you recommend organizing a number of referendums on the similar time, which appears to be an possibility envisaged by the Head of State?

Yes, it will be a method of avoiding the plebiscian pitfall: one doesn’t vote for or in opposition to an individual, however on a number of concrete questions. This raises practico-legal questions maybe requiring prior reform, however it will, in my view, be useful. Each query can be distinct and neither the opposition events nor the voters may very well be content material to reject every thing as a complete. This would additionally exhibit that every one the presidents of the V^e Republic should not obliged to comply with the instance of General de Gaulle, who had established an ethical rule: within the occasion of failure, the president resigns. Even if not all have utilized it, it stays current in subtext. If a president places his mandate in play every time he organizes a referendum, he logically finally ends up doing it anymore … By breaking with this logic, Emmanuel Macron would create an attention-grabbing precedent.

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Answer

You dedicate a transition to the mediocrity of the political debate. Would we not take the chance of getting the French vote with out them being nicely knowledgeable?

I remind you {that a} referendum is preceded by a referendum marketing campaign, which essentially pertains to the substance and offers rise to actual in -depth debates. The danger is larger within the present consultant system. When we vote for a candidate within the legislative elections, we vote for a complete program, with out essentially understanding him nicely, and on the similar time for an individual, that on the remaining we frequently know badly. In the case of a referendum, the problems are higher outlined and the marketing campaign can’t be summed up in assaults advert hominem.

https://www.lepoint.fr/politique/raphael-doan-essayiste-emmanuel-macron-peut-faire-de-la-france-une-veritable-democratie-13-05-2025-2589473_20.php