Eight years after its signature, Ceta, a free trade treaty between the EU and Canada, continues to cause a stir in France. It has in fact still not been definitively ratified. By the need to evaluate its effects, according to the government, by fear of its rejection on the eve of the European elections, say the oppositions. The PCF has therefore decided to force the hand of the executive by voting this Thursday, June 30, on a draft resolution aimed at including it on the agenda of the Assembly.
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Minutes of meeting at the National Assembly, Aurélien Devernoix
“ We had to use a subterfuge… » The president of the communist group in the National Assembly, André Chassaigne, recognizes this: the objective of this resolution is to trap the government and force it to submit Ceta to the vote of the deputies.
Because there is an emergency. “ First there is the worrying increase in European imports of fossil fuels from oil shale, the exploitation of which is three to four times more polluting than conventional oil. », denounces the MP.
Exaggeration, according to Renaissance MP Christophe Weissberg. “ Democracy, he said, it is not about blatantly lying to the French about the effects of the treaty. »
Worse, believes the Minister of Foreign Trade, Franck Riester, of low politics in the run-up to the European elections: “ I am distressed to see an unnatural alliance putting supposed electoral interests ahead of the general interest. »
For Les Républicains MP Pierre-Henri Dumont, the government is mainly seeking to avoid a misstep while its list is in difficulty in the polls. “ You mention an electoral tactic. Those who are being tactical today are you », Launches the latter.
Wishing not to give value to the resolution, the presidential camp abstained. Result: resolution adopted by 151 votes in favor, and four against. But not restrictive on the calendar. For the oppositions, the main thing was to put Ceta back on the parliamentary stage.
To rereadFranck Riester: “Let’s not make CETA a scapegoat for the agricultural crisis”