“The bill was passed Sunday following two weeks of heated debate within France’s two houses of Parliament,” the outlet reported. “Sunday’s decisive vote at the National Assembly (France’s lower house) ended two weeks of rounds and debates. Several amendments were made, and the final version of the bill was passed with a majority of 215 votes in favor and 58 votes against.”
The measure has caused a huge backlash throughout the country, with thousands taking to the streets in Paris and other cities the day before the vote to voice their opposition. The tension was so high in some places that demonstrators clashed with police, the outlet reported.
Some French lawmakers expressed anger that the bill only deepened the segregation between vaccinated and unvaccinated citizens, which had been worsening ever since it was introduced.
“We have to try everything [to fight this],” said presidential candidate Florian Philippot, leader of French nationalist party “The Patriots” on the eve of the bill’s passage by the National Assembly.
“If it passes, my hope is that it disappears as quickly as possible and that those responsible be brought to justice,” he continued.
After it passed, the administration of President Emmanual Macron expressed an interest in implementing it by Jan. 20, though some socialist ministers of parliament have filed an appeal to the French Constitutional Council, the country’s highest constitutional authority, to make sure that the law still allows for “fundamental liberties” — which seems impossible, given the requirements.
No comments:
Post a Comment