Prime Minister Gabriel Attal must defend the French aid strategy for Ukraine before the National Assembly this Tuesday, March 12, starting at 3 p.m. (local time). His intervention will be followed by a debate and a vote. After Emmanuel Macron's statements, which do not exclude sending troops to the ground in Ukraine, the position of the different parliamentary groups will be carefully examined.
First modification:
3 min
On an initiative by President Emmanuel Macron, Parliament analyzes the French aid strategy for Ukraine. Before the senators, the deputies will debate the issue this Tuesday, March 12.
What is the purpose of the vote?
After a debate, deputies will vote on the prime minister's speech on the aid strategy for Ukraine and not on the content of the Franco-Ukrainian bilateral agreement signed in Paris on February 16 or on the financial commitment to provide “up to 3 thousand million euros of additional aid” to war-torn Ukraine.
This is a non-binding vote permitted by article 50-1 of the Constitution. One that stipulates that “before one or the other of the Chambers, the Government can (…) make, on a given topic, a declaration that gives rise to debate and can, if it so decides, be put to a vote without compromising its responsibility “.
The bilateral security agreement concluded with Ukraine on February 16 provides for “the provision of comprehensive assistance to Ukraine” to “reestablish its territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders” for ten years, “active deterrence and measures to be taken against any new aggression” from Russia, as well as “support” for Kiev's accession to the European Union and “interoperability with NATO.”
Before his visit to Paris, Volodymyr Zelensky headed to Germany, where he signed a similar security agreement with Chancellor Olaf Scholz. In January, the UK and Ukraine also concluded a ten-year security agreement.
What are the positions of the parliamentary groups?
Following Emmanuel Macron's statements made in Prague on March 5, stating that France should not put “any limits” on its support for Ukraine, the French president wants clarification of the positions of the political forces represented in the National Assembly.
Several opposition leaders have denounced the instrumentalization of the Ukrainian issue for electoral purposes, while the campaign for the European elections to be held from June 6 to 9, 2024 begins.
From the Elysée, they undoubtedly hope to highlight the “Russian affiliation” of some of their opponents. On the eve of the vote, the positions of the parliamentary groups are not completely known.
National Rally (RN, for its acronym in French), a far-right party, has announced that its parliamentarians will abstain. To justify this decision, the RN's list leader for the European elections, Jordan Bardella, explained that the position defended by Emmanuel Macron included “red lines”, especially Ukraine's accession to the European Union and NATO. He also denounced the “principle of active deterrence” mentioned in the Franco-Ukrainian security agreement. “You have to be very cautious. Yes to supporting Ukraine, but not to a war with Russia,” stated the president of the RN.
The Republicans have not decided their position and denounce a political maneuver.
Le discours ridicule des macronistes à #Lille I confirmed that I have been at the Elysée.
Exploiter le conflit en Ukraine pour les elections #europeennes French is honteux, unworthy and pitiful!
— Eric Ciotti (@ECiotti) March 10, 2024
The groups Renaissance, Horizons, MoDem, the Socialist Party (PS) and Europe Ecologie-Les Verts should speak out in favor of reinforced support and aid to Ukraine. Raphaël Glucksmann, head of the PS list for the European elections, called “on all those who are committed to democracy and the security of Europe to vote for this agreement.”
On behalf of France Insoumise (LFI), deputies will vote against the French aid strategy for Ukraine. LFI affirms that it will thus vote “against the war” and “against the expansion of NATO and the European Union” towards Ukraine, claiming its differences with the socialists, who will support the security agreement sealed between France and Ukraine on February 16.
As for the national secretary of the Communist Party, Fabien Roussel, he also stated that his group would vote against “if the prime minister's speech takes up the elements of the treaty,” accusing the presidential camp of becoming “the party of war.”
Following the Assembly, a similar debate will take place in the Senate on Wednesday, March 13.
With AFP
This article was adapted from its French original.
#French #National #Assembly #debates #war #Ukraine #parliamentarians #vote