The proposal creates some discomfort, even in the presidential majority: after the Adrien Quatennens affair, the National Assembly is examining on Tuesday a Renaissance text that plans to impose a penalty of disqualification on the perpetrators of certain violence, particularly marital or intra-family.
Headed by Aurore Bergé, the head of the majority group, the bill will be examined from the end of the afternoon, after a day in which all eyes will be on the mobilization against the pension reform.
Together with the president of the Law Commission Sacha Houlié, the deputy had presented it on January 11, the same day that Adrien Quatennens made a discreet return to the National Assembly.
“This return cannot be passed in silence, it is not natural,” said the deputy from Yvelines at the time.
“Exemplary of the Chosen”
The member of the North was sentenced in December to four months in prison suspended for “violence” against his wife. He was suspended for four months from the group of deputies of the LFI, until April 13, and in the meantime he sits as an unregistered deputy.
His first intervention in session, at the beginning of February on pensions, provoked various reactions: relatives applauded him, while elected representatives of Nupes left the chamber and deputies from the presidential majority shouted “scandal” and “shame.”
“The facts hit you and challenge our fellow citizens,” justifies Aurore Bergé, who wants an “exemplary of elected officials” and puts “each one’s responsibilities” ahead of the vote on the bill.
It intends to extend the mandatory additional penalty of disqualification to a series of aggravated violence: those committed on a child under 15 years of age, a vulnerable person, the spouse, with a weapon, or even in the case of racist motivation.
“Large Reserves” of MoDem and Horizons
The cases to which the text refers are those in which the violence has resulted in a total disability for work of less than or equal to 8 days, or without ITT – the law already provides for a penalty of mandatory disqualification of five or ten years due to violence caused by an ITT of more than 8 days.
“The only question that is asked is: do the condemned deserve to stand for the votes of the French people or not?” Aurore Bergé responds to those who accuse her of wanting an “anti-Quatennens” law.
It is quite calm about the adoption of the text at first reading on Tuesday night, despite protests last week in committee against the principle of “one piece of news = one law”.
“But it will be difficult to accept voting against” Bergé’s proposal, we slipped into the Renaissance group.
Still, Horizons and Modem’s allies have expressed their “greatest reservations.” The first had abstained on this text in committee, when the second finally voted in favour.
“Individualization of sentences with variable geometry”
The deputies of Édouard Philippe’s party recall the attitude of the elected officials of the Renaissance during their parliamentary niche, presented last week. The elected representatives of the presidential formation had refused to vote in favor of one of their bills, consisting of punishing recidivism more severely. They had justified their decision in the name of not automating sentences. In return, the members of Horizons had denounced “twisted blows”.
“Basically, we are likely to present the same (arguments) as those used by Renaissance last week against our PPL on minimum sentences,” warns Laurent Marcangeli, head of Horizons deputies, in Politico this Tuesday.
The political newsletter also pointed to a tongue-in-cheek tweet about Aurore Bergé’s apparent contradiction, which was broadcast by Horizons activists. In it, a lawyer denounces an “individualization of sentences with variable geometry.”
“Crude and dangerous instrumentalization”
On the Republican side, Deputy Ian Boucard denounces a “communication coup”. For him, Adrien Quatennens “must be defeated at the polls.” “We must never give in to the dictatorship of emotion,” said Pascale Bordes (RN), deputy for the National Rally.
The left deputies also expressed their reluctance in commission. Danièle Obono (LFI) was the most virulent when pointing out “a crude and dangerous instrumentalization of justice and the fight against violence against women for vile political purposes.”
While each field sent cases of investigated deputies or ministers, Aurore Bergé launched: “We must all sweep in front of (our) door.” He recalled that the bill, if approved by Parliament, will not be retroactive and therefore will not apply to Adrien Quatennens.
A handful of amendments will be discussed Tuesday, mostly coming from environmentalists. In particular, they transmit a request from a feminist association, the Observatory of sexist and sexual violence in politics, to extend the mandatory sanction of disqualification to psychological violence.
Source: BFM TV
