the National Assembly takes up the matter

2023-10-03 17:57:00

Crossfire on bedbugs: political groups vied for initiatives on Tuesday in front of the press at the National Assembly to encourage public authorities to address the growing anxiety caused by these insects. Referring to a “scourge”, the boss of the Renaissance deputies opened the ball in the morning. “We decided to make this subject a priority”, with the MoDem and Horizons, the allies of the presidential camp, explained Sylvain Maillard.

The leader of the Macronists at the Palais-Bourbon announced the preparation of a bill, with the aim of being able to examine it during a week dedicated to parliamentary initiative texts at the beginning of December. He called on the “republican arc” groups – all except LFI and the National Rally, according to Renaissance’s definition – to contribute to this “transpartisan” bill.

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A brandished vial

“We have a first subject, it is the census of the phenomenon. We do not know today if there are more bedbugs than in 2019,” lamented MP Bruno Studer (Renaissance), author of a text in 2022 “aiming to recognize the scourge of bedbugs “. The text in preparation could make it possible to recognize the problem as “a question of public health”, added his colleague Robin Reda, also initiating a text on the subject in 2021.

“We have wasted six years,” the president of the Insoumis deputies Mathilde Panot was quick to respond to the press, claiming to have “raised the alert” in 2017 and recalling having tabled a “proposed resolution in 2019” . A history that she then recalled during the question session to the government, brandishing a small vial containing bedbugs. “You laughed in my face, you did nothing,” she told Élisabeth Borne, once again asking for a national prevention plan and the creation of a “public disinfestation service”. His group has also tabled a new motion for a resolution to this effect.

“Runaway”

“On this subject, there should be no division,” replied the Prime Minister, reproaching Ms. Panot for her “excess” and announcing “a meeting in the coming days with all the ministries concerned”, in particular those Ecological Transition, Housing and Health. “Let’s work together, find solutions together,” added Ms. Borne, welcoming the work of her majority “to find long-term answers.”

However, other groups are on the move. The socialist group was thus expected to table a bill during the day, detailed in the morning by its spokesperson Arthur Delaporte. This text proposes to insert “into all compulsory home insurance contracts a guarantee against the risks resulting from a bedbug infestation”, he indicated, because “many people give up” to act “in the face of the exorbitant cost of treatment or treat it poorly”.

A meeting on Wednesday

Transport Minister Clément Beaune will bring together the main transport operators and user associations on Wednesday to discuss the sensitive subject of bedbugs, reported in recent weeks on trains and in the Paris metro, the ministry announced on Tuesday. “The objective is to take stock following the reports received, to objectify the situation and to strengthen measures. We want to inform people about the actions taken and act more to serve travelers. To reassure and protect,” said the Ministry of Transport.