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PARLIAMENT

French parliament to shrink as government set to slash third of MPs and senators

The French government has vowed to reduce the number of MPs and senators by 30 percent by 2019, following through on a pledge made by French President Emmanuel Macron during his election campaign.

French parliament to shrink as government set to slash third of MPs and senators
A general view of the National Assembly taken during a session of questions to the government in Paris. Photo: AFP
French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe has announced the government's plans to cut the number of lawmakers, including MPs and Senators by one third by 2019. 
 
It means the number of MPs in the French National Assembly will drop from 577 to 404 and the number of Senators will also drop from 348 to 244.  
 
The number of deputies and senators will be reduced by 30 percent “under conditions that guarantee the representation of all departments and territories,” said Philippe.
 
However not everybody is for the change, with some MPs warning of the risk of the electorate becoming disconnected with parliament.
 
“There must be between 20 and 25 percent [fewer parliamentarians] but 30 percent is not possible” because it “would sacrifice the most fragile territories,” senator for right-wing party Les Republicains, Bruno Retailleau told the French press.
 
Philippe also announced on Wednesday that in the legislative elections in 2022, 15 percent of MPs (61 out of 404) would be elected by proportional representation, the system which sees parties gain seats in proportion to the number of votes cast for them. 
 
It is believed that reform could enable smaller parties like the far-right National Front to gain more MPs to reflect the number of votes they are given nationwide.
 
In fact, according to a projection of what this would mean for the election results by France Info, the National Front would increase its representation to 3.4 percent of seats from 1.4 percent), which translates to 14 elected members compared to eight at present.
 
Meanwhile, on the other side of the political spectrum, the Socialist Party and other left-wing parties would get 8.1 percent of the seats, against 7.8 percent at present.
 
However Macron's La République en Marche party and its ally MoDem would lose some of their representatives, dropping to 56.8 percent of seats compared to the 60.7 percent they have today.
 
Meanwhile the Republicans, the centre-right UDI party and various right wing parties would get 23.7 percent of seats against 23.6 percent currently.

 
The changes are part of a vast project proposed by French President Emmanuel Macron during his election campaign and announced in a speech to a gathering of the country's lawmakers in July 2017.
 
However at the moment it's all matter of guess work, with the new version of the electoral map not yet unveiled. 
 
Last year, Macron told around 900 MPs and senators who had gathered at Versailles that he wanted a one-third reduction in the number of lawmakers in both houses of parliament.
 
Macron said the change — which he proposed while running for president — would have “positive effects on the general quality of parliamentary work”.
 
When it comes to reducing the number of parliamentarians, Emmanuel Macron pledged in 2017 that all territories, including overseas territories, would be included in the cuts. 
 
He also warned lawmakers that a referendum would be called if they do not agree to the changes.
 
 
 
 
 
 

PARLIAMENT

Danish PM Frederiksen awaits result of coronavirus test

Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has been tested for coronavirus and is currently in isolation, the Prime Minister's office confirmed in a statement on Wednesday morning.

Danish PM Frederiksen awaits result of coronavirus test
Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen. Photo: Mads Claus Rasmussen/Ritzau Scanpix

The PM attended a meeting alongside Justice Minister Nick Hækkerup at the end of last week. Hækkerup, who said on Tuesday he was experiencing symptoms and awaiting a test result, has now confirmed a positive test for Covid-19.

“The Prime Minister participated in a meeting with the justice minister on Friday October 30th 2020, where all guidelines for social distance etc. were followed,” the government statement read.

“The Prime Minister is currently showing no symptoms pf Covid-19 and will, as far as possible, continue to work via virtual meetings,” it added.

Hækkerup said in a Facebook post that he had a cough and fever but is in good spirits.

Frederiksen, along with several other leading government figures including foreign minister Jeppe Kofod, health minister Magnus Heunicke and finance minister Nicolai Wammen, have also met with Hækkerup and are now in isolation as they await the results of their Covid-19 tests.

“The virus has spread to both parliament and the government. I am in isolation and will be tested. Though I have no symptoms of the disease. Take care of each other,” Frederiksen wrote on Facebook.

A series of ministers, members of parliament and a party leader – Søren Pape Poulsen of the Conservatives – were yesterday confirmed to have tested positive for Covid-19. A number of other parliamentarians have isolated due to suspected contact with the virus and Frederiksen's questions session in parliament was postponed.

The most serious report regarding infected Danish politicians concerns Lars Christian Lilleholt of the Liberal (Venstre) party. Lilleholt, a former minister who is now the Liberal defence spokesperson, has been admitted to the University Hospital in Odense with pneumonia after testing positive for coronavirus and has been given the experimental treatment Remdesivir, he confirmed in a social media post.

READ ALSO: Is Denmark's parliament at the centre of a coronavirus outbreak?

An ex-minister suggested that procedures at the Christiansborg parliament be adapted to prevent the spread of infection.

“Perhaps – very carefully suggested – Parliament should rethink consultations and votes. Not by not having them. But the way they take place. Disease is every man's master,” Søren Pind wrote on Twitter.

The parliament has said it will restrict the number of people who can attend meetings.

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