This Tuesday, on France Inter, Yaël Braun-Pivet, former president of the National Assembly, expressed her concerns regarding the intention declared by certain leaders of the New Popular Front (NFP) to use article 49.3 of the Constitution to govern. “When I hear some of the [NFP] leaders say that they are going to govern with 49.3 or with decrees, I am extremely worried about this vision of democracy with variable geometry,” she declared.
This media release provoked strong reactions on social networks, largely because of the repeated use of 49.3 by the Ensemble parliamentary group, to which Braun-Pivet was linked. Since 2022, the government has used this article 23 times, a record for such a short period. This mechanism allows laws to be passed without a parliamentary vote, which was notably used for the controversial pension reform.
François Ruffin, MP for the Somme, criticized Braun-Pivet's comments on A pension reform without a vote in the Assembly. Record of sanctions against deputies. They should make themselves small, show humility but continue to give lessons. »
Article 49.3 has often been a point of political tension in France. Although it is a legitimate constitutional tool, its frequent use by the last Macronist governments was perceived by many as a means of circumventing parliamentary debate and imposing controversial reforms without consensus. Critics point out that this heavy use of 49.3 has contributed to an erosion of public confidence in the legislative process.
By denouncing the possible use of 49.3 by the NFP, Braun-Pivet highlights the problem of the use of this tool in French democracy. His comments reveal a certain irony, given his role in a government that has widely employed this procedure. This dual approach highlights the current contradictions and challenges in French political life, where the use of 49.3 remains a subject of intense debate.
