Emmanuel Macron on Thursday kicked off the National Council for Refoundation (CNR), intended to “building consensus” to reform France, but boycotted by the oppositions and part of the unions, who believe that it is a “bitonial behind closed doors” and that French policy is decided in the National Assembly. In response, the Head of State considered that “The absent are always wrong”.
“We are in a historic situation”with the climate and energy challenges and the war in Ukraine, hammered the Head of State to the press before opening the inaugural session of the CNR in the presence of around forty representatives of elected officials, employers, trade unions and associations, as well as about ten ministers.
In this context, it is necessary “to arm oneself with good will, courage” et “acting on the ground” pour “change things in depth”he launched in the decor of the National Rugby Center in Marcourssis (Essonne).
This new method of governance, announced by the president before the legislative elections in June and intended as a tool for “democratic renewal”is highly contested and all opposition parties have chosen to boycott it.
“The absent are always wrong”replied Emmanuel Macron, noting that twelve representatives of “living forces of the Nation”, of the 52 guests, were not there. But the “door will always be open”he said.
From right to left, the oppositions see above all in the CNR a way for the president to circumvent Parliament, where his camp no longer has an absolute majority, to regain control in public debate.
Mathilde Panot, president of the LFI group at the National Assembly, described this CNR as “bitonials behind closed doors”.
The thingy has become a thingy.
To distract, @auroreberge accuse l’opposition.
The 49-3 in the Assembly and bitonials behind closed doors.
It’s not a discussion, it’s a soliloquy. #CNR https://t.co/JNGOykAb2X— Mathilde Panot (@MathildePanot) September 8, 2022
For his part, Jordan Bardella let it be known on Twitter that the National Rally would not take part in this Defense Council, believing that “the future of France is decided and debated in the National Assembly”.
The National Rally declines Emmanuel Macron’s invitation to participate tomorrow in the National Council for Refoundation. The future of France is decided and debated in the National Assembly. pic.twitter.com/nlnoXwReQc
– Jordan Bardella (@J_Bardella) September 7, 2022
“You shouldn’t explain afterwards that you haven’t been consulted, or that it’s too vertical”warned the Head of State by drawing up the program for the new body.
“I do not exclude anything”
The proposals resulting from the debates of the CNR could “lead to referendums”, he noted: “I do not exclude anything”.
Five major themes have been selected for the discussions to come in the coming months: full employment, school, health, “ageing well” and ecological transition.
A “very broad national consultation” of the French will also be offered online “from next week”, he announced. A site dedicated to the CNR must also be launched in the evening, said the Elysée.
The CNR began its work far from the eyes of the public, behind closed doors, some participants not having wished to broadcast the debates, according to the Elysée. “The key (was) to install trust”noted Emmanuel Macron, to justify this choice.
The President of the Senate, Gérard Larcher, refused to come, believing that “representative democracy”, it is the Parliament, and that there is already a “civil society forum” with the Economic, Social and Environmental Council (Cese).
I share the diagnosis of the crisis of democracy. But the National Refoundation Council is not the solution. We must avoid the confusion between participatory democracy and representative democracy. @France Inter
— Gerard Larcher (@gerard_larcher) September 7, 2022
On the majority side, the former Prime Minister Edouard Philippe, retained by a congress in Quebec, was the great absentee but was represented.
Only three unions were present: the CFDT, the CFTC and the Unsa.
“Confused” start
“I want to know if it’s a fair process or if it’s not”declared the secretary general of the CFDT, Laurent Berger, on his arrival while explaining that he was in a logic of “propositions”.
The president of Medef, Geoffroy Roux de Bézieux, called for “giving the product a chance”.
Guy Geoffroy, vice-president of the Association of Mayors of France (AMF) sees it as a “hand held out” but it will be “very vigilant about the end point of the process undertaken”. Approach “seemed a bit confusing to us. The president made it less confusing”he reported to Marcoussis.
After an introductory remark by the president, the participants presented their expectations and priorities. In the afternoon, Prime Minister Élisabeth Borne will chair a meeting to determine the projects and establish their long-term implementation.