France’s Macron Suffers Vaccination Defeat

By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News

PARIS (Worthy News) – French President Emmanuel Macron is weighing his options after parliament rejected a cabinet plan to enforce jabs against COVID-19 on travelers.

The National Assembly refused to give the government powers to demand that those entering France show proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test when entering France.

This week’s setback marked the first parliamentary defeat after President Macron’s ruling party lost its majority in elections last month.

The defeat by 219 votes to 195 saw all the major opposition parties — the far-right National Rally (RN), the hard-left LFI, and rightwing Republicans (LR) — unite against the minority government.

Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne condemned “the obstruction,” and her allies claimed “extremes” — the far-right and hard-left — had teamed up together.

But the outcome was welcomed by those fearing that vaccination passports and related identification methods increase state control over people’s lives.

MAJOR DEFEAT

“The French National Assembly prevented the reintroduction of the vaccine passport for minors [and] international and domestic travel,” noticed prominent Dutch commentator Eva Vlaardingerbroek on social media. She called it “A major defeat for despot Macron and a major win for the people!”

Yet, most French legislators backed a bill tackling “the seventh wave of COVID-19 infections” despite France’s full vaccination rate of nearly 80 percent.

The law passed the assembly with 221 votes in favor and 187 against.

After being re-elected to a second term in April, Macron saw his ability to push through domestic reforms curtailed by a setback in June’s parliamentary election.

Analysts say he needs the right-wing Republicans party, whose 62 parliamentarians are crucial for passing legislation. “The circumstances oblige the government to listen to opposition parties which at the moment it has a few difficulties in doing,” said top Republicans legislator Olivier Marleix.

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