In an interview this Sunday, the head of state showed himself unfavorable to a referendum on the question of immigration, contrary to what the right is asking for.
Emmanuel Macron cooled this Sunday the track of a referendum on immigration as requested by some on the right, believing that the question does not fall within the constitutional field which would allow one to be called.
“I don’t think it’s within the scope of article 11,” replied the head of state, questioned by the daily L’Opinion on the trail of a referendum in the event of failure of the debates in Parliament on immigration.
Article 11 of the Constitution provides in particular that the President “may submit to referendum any bill relating to the organization of public powers, to reforms relating to the economic or social policy of the nation and to the public services which contribute thereto. “.
“I am ready for all referendums, if it is useful for the country. I am in favor of using the Constitution, it allows us to move forward”, adds Emmanuel Macron in his interview with L’Opinion.
Elisabeth Borne has asked Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin to relaunch “consultations” to present “in July” a bill on immigration, with a view to parliamentary examination in the fall.
“I don’t believe in fate at all”
But Les Républicains, who will participate in these consultations according to the boss of senators Bruno Retailleau, do not intend to leave the hand to the executive. They are preparing two texts on the subject, an ordinary bill and a constitutional one, which will be tabled within “a fortnight”, according to the leader of the group in the upper house.
“There will be a starting bet from the government,” insisted Emmanuel Macron. “I think there is a moment of clarification,” he continued, specifically targeting Les Républicains but also citing “ecologists” and “socialists” as possible interlocutors during the negotiations on the copy of the government. .
“We will look at how we can enrich it, complete it, modify it, perhaps abandon bits, in order to build a majority”, he detailed. But the path to a majority in the Assembly is uncertain at best, between the demands of the LRs and the insistence of part of the left wing of the macronie that the text does not lean too far to the right.
“I don’t believe in fate at all,” assured the head of state. More broadly, Emmanuel Macron mentioned the possibility of “reform” without necessarily legislating, speaking of a “disease of the law (…) very French”.
If he pleaded for “building majorities”, he on the other hand affirmed not to believe “in coalitions”. “It’s not French political culture”, judged the president, who last October had expressed the wish for an “alliance” with LR and the independence group Liot.
