Adjust the rules of presidential from 2022 more than a year in advance: The national assembly on Tuesday adopted a series of technical tweaks for this election after rejecting the idea of major changes.
The four articles of the organic bill “Relating to the election of the President of the Republic” were adopted on first reading by show of hands in the early evening.
Main new features: postal voting for inmates, proxies “Deterritorialized” and a period of at least ten weeks to collect sponsorships.
An attempt by insubordinate France to give more scope to this text had been rebutted in committee last week. LFI proposed in particular to facilitate the financing of campaigns by loans from citizens or to open the sponsorship of candidates by 150,000 people and no longer only to elected officials.
This update of the electoral provisions prior to each election of the Head of State constitutes a “Technical update”, said the Minister Delegate for Citizenship Marlène Schiappa.
It is, however “An important text because it touches on the most structuring election of our institutions”, she added. Ms Schiappa called on MPs to be “Vigilant” facing all « innovation » which could encourage fraud.
Counter abstention
The rapporteur Alain Tourret (LREM) also warned against any modification of the rules which “Could raise questions from citizens” on the “Sincerity of the ballot”.
The text provides that powers of attorney may be “Deterritorialized” : it will be possible for a principal to choose a representative registered in a municipality other than his own.
The decree convening the presidential election must be published at least ten weeks before the first round, a period considered sufficient to guarantee the time necessary to collect sponsorships.
Another provision requires candidates to file their campaign accounts electronically with the National Commission responsible for reviewing them.
The text also provides for a postal voting system for detained persons, already tested in the last European elections.
Various technical provisions are also planned for the vote of French expatriates, with in particular the elimination of the obligation to attest on the honor of its inability to go to the polls to be able to vote by proxy.
Several MPs have called for an ambitious electoral reform to counter the rise in abstention and disinterest in public life among the electorate.
Marietta Karamanli (PS) thus wished “Fundamental work leading to major reforms”.
Blandine Brocard (Modem) suggested that another text could open ” tracks “ reform, including a « extension » postal voting. Bastien Lachaud (LFI) called for the end of “Presidential monarch” in accordance with the “Sixth Republic” that his training requires.
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