The government will once again face motions of censure from the RN and LFI. The two opposition groups announced Monday, February 23, the filing of two motions of censure against the government in protest of the publication by decree of France’s energy strategy by 2035.
The President of the RN group, Marine Le Pen, had urged MPs hostile to this multi-year energy plan (PPE3) to submit a motion of censure, stating that the RN would do so if they didn’t. RN MPs lodged their motion of censure on Monday, a source within the group told AFP.
The party is protesting “formally” against “an illiberal act against Parliament,” and on the substance against “a decreasing policy that promotes intermittent energies, lies about nuclear power, and poses a major risk to public finances.” It believes the government should have gone through legislation under the energy code and points out an “irrational choice” of intermittent energies dictated by the European Commission.
The motion of censure will be examined as soon as Wednesday, due to a mandatory 48-hour period between filing and examination. It is unlikely to be adopted, as previous motions of censure by the RN have never been approved by the left.
The adoption of these motions appears once again unlikely
LFI group leader Mathilde Panot announced midday that the France Insoumise MPs had also filed a motion of censure on the same subject. “The rebellious parliamentary group is filing a motion of censure against the government and inviting MPs from the NFP to co-sign it. It is unacceptable for such decisions that commit our country for decades to be made by decree without debate or vote in the Assembly,” Ms. Panot wrote.
For this motion of censure to be adopted, it would need the support of the entire left and the Rassemblement National. It seems unlikely at this time that the Socialist Party, which has previously refused to vote on motions of censure against Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu, will vote on this one.
The government unveiled its new energy policy strategy on February 12, after three years of intense debate and numerous delays. Emphasizing the revival of consumption of low-carbon electricity, mainly nuclear-based, to replace costly fossil fuels, the government’s roadmap also involves a lower deployment of onshore wind and solar energy.
The Senate’s right wing has also strongly protested the government’s choice to go through with a decree. A debate on the subject is scheduled for Monday afternoon in the Senate at the request of Senate President Gérard Larcher.
