“Magnificent symbol of freedom, democracy and the rule of law” for EELV MEP Yannick Jadot; or “democratic forfeiture” for his colleague LFI Manon Aubry, the symbolism of the European flag divides even within the left: the National Assembly must decide this Tuesday, May 9, at the end of the day, on the bill of the Renaissance group which aims to make it mandatory on the pediment of town halls.
The date is symbolic, one year from the European elections, and while like every day of Europe, the EU flag must be displayed on the facades of public buildings. It is also OBLIGATORY on the pediment of schools and secondary public education establishments.
LFI and the RN against
THE text proposes “taking into account the importance of these two emblems in our collective history and in order to reinforce the unity of the practice of flags on the national territory”, to add the flag of the European Union to the right of the national flag, who “keeps [rait] place of honour”.
During the first debates last week, the bill was rejected by the Law Commission. La France insoumise and the National Rally have each tabled amendments aimed at deleting its single article.
More surprisingly, despite belonging to the presidential majority, the MoDem deputies also abstained from voting for the text. One of the deputies of the centrist formation, Elodie Jacquier-Laforge, thus expressed doubts about the usefulness of a text which “does not respond to the concerns of our compatriots”. The idea is considered far removed from current topics such as the fight against inflation or pension reform by some opposition politicians, who also raise questions of costs for municipalities.
For their part, the Republicans, through their president Eric Ciotti, announced on Tuesday that they wanted to “amend this text”, by making the presence of the European flag optional. “The Constitution says that there is only one emblem, it is the tricolor flag”, declared the deputy LR on France Inter.
Europe, a divisive symbol
“You can’t take away the fact that the European flag also refers to a democratic forfeiture when you’re French”, launched rebellious MEP Manon Aubry on Monday on franceinfoin reference to the Lisbon Treaty signed in 2007.
A statement that disturbs left-wing MEP Raphaël Glucksmann, for whom “this European flag is a symbol of freedom”. “He is the one who is agitated by Ukrainians when they fight for their freedom, by Georgians when they demonstrate to save their democracy,” he retorted on Twitter.
While the Russian invasion of Ukraine and Brexit have highlighted the strengths and weaknesses of the European Union, the text’s rapporteur, MP Renaissance Mathieu Lefevrewishes precisely “to recall the values to which we are attached”, “of human rights, pluralism, democracy”.
“If our opposition can be unmasked by this bill, I will be very happy, because basically, those who are uncomfortable with the European flag are also uncomfortable with their desire to go out of the European Union”, had commented the elected representative of Val-de-Marne on RMC before the first debates, explicitly targeting the RN and LFI. A grievance that Renaissance will certainly not hesitate to bring out by the next European elections in 2024.