“We are not above the law”: a deputy lectures Élisabeth Borne who vapes in the National Assembly

2023-11-30 15:57:40

This is not the first time that the Prime Minister has vaped in the Assembly. But two days after the presentation of the anti-smoking plan, the opposition is even more annoyed. LFI MP Caroline Fiat lectured Élisabeth Borne this Wednesday, while the latter was vaping on the bench of the National Assembly. “Vaping in this chamber, while I am speaking to you, is total contempt,” declared Caroline Fiat, interrupting her speech. “And as a reminder, it’s not good for your health,” she added. Note that the Prime Minister does not appear in the video shared by Caroline Fiat.

This admonition comes only two days after the presentation of the anti-tobacco plan by the Minister of Health Aurélien Rousseau. This notably provides for an expansion of the list of non-smoking places – such as beaches and around schools – and a further increase in the price of a pack of cigarettes to 13 euros in 2027.

This is not a first for Élisabeth Borne. Already last June, the opposition protested against this common practice among the Prime Minister. “Is that polite and respectful of Parliament? », had criticized the LFI deputy Antoine Léaument on X (ex-Twitter), by publishing a photo of Élisabeth Borne with a vape device in her hand. “It’s clearly a dismissive attitude. We feel that it hides a certain excitement,” Cyrielle Chatelain, EELV deputy for Isère, had also argued with BFMTV.

However, as recalled by site service-public, it is prohibited to vape “in places with workstations, closed and covered for collective use”. “Vaping in a place for collective use is punishable by a fine of up to 150 euros,” continues the service-public site. Release had confirmed in June 2022 that vaping was prohibited on the benches of the National Assembly. “We write the law. We are not above the law,” Caroline Fiat also said.