The Constitutional Council overturns the abolition of the Low Emission Zones (LEZs), the system is reinstated

It's back to square one for low-emission zones. On Thursday, the Constitutional Council overturned the provision that abolished them, reinstating the legal framework established by the "climate and resilience" law of August 22, 2021. The concrete result: LEZs are returning to the landscape of the affected urban areas, with 43 zones identified, and the restrictions linked to Crit'Air stickers are once again fully enforced, according to locally set schedules.

Parliamentarians had, however, voted for this repeal on April 15th, during the examination of the so-called "economic simplification" law. At the time, it was a political victory for those who denounced a system deemed punitive for low-income households and certain professions. But in politics, a vote is not always enough. The institutional machinery is ever-present, sometimes coldly, often without qualms.

One "legislative rider" and everything changes

A "legislative rider" and everything changes. The Constitutional Council struck down Article 37 of the bill, the one that stipulated the elimination of Low Emission Zones (LEZs). The reason given: the measure was introduced without sufficient connection to the purpose and overall structure of the initial bill. In other words, the provision was slipped into the wrong place, into the wrong legal vehicle. And when the procedure goes wrong, the substance doesn't hold up, and the contested provision disappears from the final text.

Behind this reminder of the rules, daily reality prevails. Low Emission Zones (LEZs) regulate the circulation of the most polluting vehicles, with exemptions and procedures decided at the local level, and they are part of an objective to reduce emissions, also scrutinized through the lens of European obligations. Criticism, however, persists: the cost of replacing vehicles, territorial inequalities, and unequal access to alternatives to cars. The door remains ajar for a new parliamentary initiative, provided the right framework is chosen this time, a sign that the debate itself will continue to dominate the agenda.