What is the right constitution for France?
France's National Assembly is currently debating the constitutional reform presented by President Macron. Among other things the president proposes restructuring the state institutions, reinforcing the separation of powers, increasing civil participation and simplifying the country's legislation. French commentators are dissatisfied with the plan.
Parliament must also be given more power
The reform project in its current version gives parliament too little power, Franck Riester and Olivier Becht, conservative members of France's National Assembly, criticise in Le Monde:
“In France the government, which initiates 80 percent of all laws, has in practice - if not in law - become the true legislative authority. ... Yes, the constitutional reform sought by Macron rightly allows for a strengthening of the judiciary as it aims to make the courts independent. What it neglects to do, however, is to strengthen the legislative. Because an increase of presidential power is unacceptable if parliament is not bolstered at the same time. This is not about the number of members in the National Assembly or the Senate, but about their role and the significance of their mandates.”
Put Europe in the constitution!
The constitutional reform should be used to revamp France's Europe policy, members of the European Movement France urge in Libération:
“The president heads France's European policy but does not answer for it to the National Assembly. ... For the moment this project has no European dimension to speak of. We call on the government and the members of the National Assembly to use this chance to modernise our relations with the EU. Our first priority must be to make the European legislative process and its key players more transparent, to avoid declarations such as 'we won' when the Union succeeds and 'they lost' when it is unsuccessful.”