first tensions because of the lack of space in committee

National Assembly website, screenshot

The Social Affairs Committee, January 30, 2023.

POLITICS – “There is room here”, “there are empty chairs left! » The cacophony and hubbub reigned this Monday, January 30 in the room chosen by the social affairs committeewhere the deputies begin the examination of the pension reform bill.

For once, many elected officials who are not members of the commission wanted to attend the debates, as is their right. “Apparently there would be a small problem of space. I am sorry my dear colleagues, but priority must be given to the commissioners of social affairs”immediately launched the president of the commission Fadila Khattabi.

The chaotic situation generated a first tense exchange between the deputies and the president. the socialist Arthur Delaporte said to himself “Amazed at the conditions in which we were welcomed this morning” and demanded the removal of “the Social Affairs Committee in a larger room, in order to allow all colleagues who so wish to take part in our work, rather than being forced to squeeze into these benches”.

“We have a problem of working conditions”

“I like the collective, but here we feel more surrounded than collective. We are very very compressed and I think that in a better room, we could talk to each other better”, also complained the deputy France insoumise Hadrien Clouet. Communist Pierre Dharréville made the same request to avoid “unnecessary tension”.

“We are going to talk about working conditions in this text and there, we have a problem of working conditions (…). It is really important that we can change rooms”also underlined the ecologist Sandrine Rousseau. And Philippe Vigier (UDI) adds: “It is very good that this work is generating a lot of enthusiasm. The only thing, Madam Chair, is that the places of the full members of the committee should be able to be respected. »

On the side of the majority, the annoyance was palpable when the substance of the text had not yet been addressed. “I point out that there will be 15 days of public sitting and that the committee room is not the public sitting. Just saying “pointed out Fadila Khattabi.

La Nupes between the LR and the RN

“You could have anticipated ahead of time and let me know your comments by letter. I could not foresee in advance that, indeed, a part in particular of the Nupes would be massively present today. And I want to tell you that there is still room on my right! »was still annoyed the president of the commission.

Renaissance MP Sylvain Maillard denounced the thousands of amendments tabled, which will be almost impossible to study in just three days, and regretted that “the only discussion is on the size of the room”. “It’s making fun of the work of the Social Affairs Committee”, he estimated. In total, 7,000 amendments were tabledincluding 6,000 by the left.

Cyril Isaac-Sibille, from the Modem, raised another problem relating to the presence of deputies who are not members of the committee: “In the 5 years that I have been sitting, this is the first time that there are so many people and that’s good. Now for the serenity of the debates, I am considering the votes that will take place: how are you going to be able to know who is a member of the committee and who can vote? »

Fadila Khattabi quickly evacuated the question, ensuring that everyone knew who was part of the group or not, the list being on the commission’s website. “We are already going to start by opening the chakras early in the morning”, she added, playing appeasement. As noted by AFP, MEPs Nudes who came in large numbers were forced to sit between the elected representatives of Les Républicains and Rassemblement national. The examination of the text was finally able to begin.

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