Several deputies denounce a truncated debate on the climate bill

This text has been reviewed in a special committee since Monday and for two weeks, before its passage in the hemicycle from March 29.

Former Minister of Ecology Delphine Batho (unregistered) denounced to the press "surreal" working conditions in committee with a limited number of places due to anti-Covid rules.

"There is a very concrete problem of places: the commission has 71 members, there are 51 places in the commission (...). There are deputies who cannot come to sit", abounded Damien Abad, chief leader of LR deputies at a press conference.

Mrs. Batho as well as Matthieu Orphelin, another deputy of ecological sensitivity, are also alarmed by "the brutal interpretation of the provisions of article 45 of the Constitution" which makes it possible to revoke amendments considered irrelevant. They claim that 55% of the amendments so far dealt with by the services of the Assembly have been deemed inadmissible.

"The eco-loan to change vehicle, regulation of advertising, energy renovation, sustainable consumption: all these subjects, we will not be able to discuss", regretted Mr. Orphelin.

For her part, the president of the special commission Laurence Maillart-Méhaignerie (LREM) regrets a "controversial" position on inadmissibility. And concerning the places, it is up to the political groups to "define the gauges" and "we are all subject to this constraint", she declared Monday evening in committee.

In addition, for the examination in the hemicycle, a programmed legislative time of 45 hours was set Tuesday at the conference of presidents of the Assembly. This time, divided between the political groups, will reduce to the minimum the interventions of the non-attached MEPs like Mrs Batho and Mr Orphelin.

"It is one more manipulation to try to muzzle those who want to carry ecology high", regretted Mr. Orphelin, former LREM deputy.

The two deputies meet on March 28 in demonstrations at the call of members of the Citizen's Convention for the climate dissatisfied with the text presented by the government.