“You have lied a thousand times” … Heated debates in the National Assembly on the vaccine pass

At the entrance of the National Assembly, a lady gets annoyed. “Are there only journalists who can enter?” What about the people? Shortly before 3 pm on Monday, tension already reigns in front of the Palais-Bourbon. In a few minutes, the deputies begin examining the bill aimed at transforming the health pass into a vaccination pass. If the adoption is clear, the debates are expected to be heated on this text, which is the subject of more than 650 amendments, and takes place in a context of threats against several elected officials.

From the outset, Olivier Véran paints a gloomy picture. “The times are difficult, the Omicron variant is already breaking sad records. The tidal wave is here, it is dizzying, but we are not giving in to panic. “Faced with the epidemic surge, the Minister of Health defends a” cold-blooded text “, allowing, according to him, to avoid closures and confinement. The executive decided to put even more pressure on the five million unvaccinated French people. For the latter, the tests will soon no longer be sufficient to access leisure activities, restaurants, bars and other interregional public transport.

Pass of arms between Olivier Véran and Jean-Luc Mélenchon

“The French will tomorrow be 53 million to have received a first injection. Looking closely at these figures, French society is not divided: the growing forest makes less noise than the falling tree, ”philosopher Olivier Véran, targeting opponents of the famous pass, who called for demonstrations at 5 pm in front of the Assembly. “They claim freedom, but their fight is tiny. Behind a discourse on so-called freedom very often hides a selfishness or a withdrawal into oneself. […] We must unite, ”adds the Minister.

But the block cracks quickly. At the microphone, Jean-Luc Mélenchon denounces a “totalitarian and authoritarian society”, and vehemently defends a motion to reject the text. “No one says the vaccine is useless [mais] the vaccination pass is 100% ineffective. This vaccine is a racket with holes, “assures the rebellious presidential candidate, referring to the current spread of the virus, including among vaccinated people.

In response, Olivier Véran is ironic. “Mr. Mélenchon, you were so wrong that it is difficult today to pay you the same attention… You were saying that you could take chloroquine, would you do it today? You compared the RNA vaccine to frozen food… You mentioned that “Pfizer thing” that you would never get, but you got your third dose. »The rebellious group howls, the chairperson calms the spirits. “I am not sure that the entire Assembly should be informed of the nature of the vaccine that Mr. Mélenchon received. LFI’s motion was largely rejected by 200 votes to 31.

Divided opposition

The debates then continue on the substance. The Communists, like the RN and LFI deputies, say they are opposed to the vaccination pass. On the side of the Socialists, Cécile Untermaier simply regrets the “deficit of public debate” and expresses reservations on the content of the text. “We doubt that the new vaccination pass can get the better of the 10% of the population affirming a reluctance towards the vaccine”, calling for “more link” with this segment of the population, in particular through doctors.

On the right, the deputy LR Aurélien Pradié hits hard. “This trust [de la population] miss you because you’ve lied a thousand times. On vaccination, which was to put an end to the entire health situation, on the masks, on the rearming of resuscitation beds, on the identity check which should only be done by the police. “The LR group, which should not oppose the text, will propose amendments to exempt minors from the vaccination pass and limit it in time, so as not to give” blank check to the government “.

On his bench, Olivier Véran looks at his phone several times. The debates must last until late at night, before the text arrives in the Senate on Wednesday. The executive wants to move quickly, the bill must come into force on January 15.