Europe 1 with AFP
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10:17 p.m., January 16, 2022
After long discussions, Parliament adopted on Sunday the bill establishing the vaccine pass in France, in the context of the coronavirus pandemic with in particular the appearance of the new Omicron variant. Socialist parliamentarians have made it known that they want to seize the Constitutional Council in order to guarantee respect for “fundamental freedoms”.
Parliament definitively adopted on Sunday, by a final vote of the Assembly, the bill establishing the vaccination pass, which the government wants to implement as quickly as possible in the face of the resurgence of the Covid-19 epidemic. The text was adopted by 215 votes to 58, with 7 abstentions.
Two different appeals to the Constitutional Council are planned on the left, to guarantee respect for “fundamental freedoms”, which will postpone the promulgation for a few days. The French “expect height from us” and “a sense of the general interest”, pressed the Minister Delegate Brigitte Bourguignon, while the Minister of Health Olivier Véran, himself affected by the virus, was absent.
Flurry of reactions from relief to opposition
For the majority, this vote was a relief. Damien Abad welcomed the evolution of the text: “What suits us is that we have a tool for managing the health crisis which pushes for vaccination”, declared the deputy LR at the end of the vote. “It is important for the protection of the health of the French and of everyone. What satisfies us is the consideration of minors with a health pass only. And that was also an important point for us. .” Eric Coquerel denounced “liberticidal” measures: “We are preventing millions of fellow citizens from having a certain number of activities for nothing. It does not prevent the disease from spreading.”
From now on, it will then be necessary to be able to justify a vaccination status to access leisure activities, restaurants and bars, fairs or interregional public transport. A negative test will no longer suffice, except to access health facilities and services. Minors aged 12 to 15 will remain subject to the obligation to present the current health pass.