The senators, mostly on the right, restored on Wednesday evening a possibility of resorting to health checks at the borders in the event of the emergence of a dangerous variant of Covid-19, as well as for overseas travel, which had been removed by MPs.
In the National Assembly, the health surveillance and security bill had been amputated from this key article, by a conjunction of votes from the RN, LR and a majority of the left alliance Nupes.
The Senate, which in turn examines the text at first reading, approved by 236 votes against 27 the tightened device proposed by the rapporteur LR Philippe Bas, amended in session.
It comes in two distinct devices. The first concerns travelers from foreign countries. In the event of the appearance of a new, particularly dangerous variant of Covid, the government could impose the presentation of a negative test on boarding. This for one month, a vote of Parliament being necessary beyond that.
A second similar system could apply for trips to overseas communities in the event of a risk of saturation of their health system.
The rapporteur defends a very marginal, very exceptional device, without which the only alternative would be the banning of flights from the country in question, or the quarantine of all passengers arriving in France.
Laurence Muller-Bronn, apparent LR, signatory with 9 colleagues of a recent forum against the bill, denounced an inflation of constraints which will again weigh down the lives of French people and travelers.
Several methods of application were debated. The Senate rejected by 187 votes to 151 amendments made by several groups, including the centrists, to restore the possibility of producing, not only a negative test, but also proof of vaccination or recovery from Covid.
The Minister of Health Franois Braun was in favor, believing that these supporting documents continue to make medical sense.
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Daniel Chasseing (Independents) considered it essential to continue to encourage the population to be vaccinated.
Mr. Bas, joined by Alain Richard (RDPI majority En Marche) argued that the vaccine currently only blocks contamination in a third of cases. As long as putting in a safety net is as effective as it is, he added.
Denouncing an unacceptable step back, the leader of the PS group Patrick Kanner affirmed that the motivation of the rapporteur is not only scientific, but also political, to respond to an expectation of LR deputies.
The main change made to the commission’s text is the introduction, on the initiative of Philippe Bonnecarrre (centrist) and Thani Mohamed Soilihi (RDPI), of the possibility of a check for people coming from overseas communities.