The decision, taken on Tuesday 8 September (see EUROPE 12555/4), to keep the September plenary session of the European Parliament in Brussels instead of Strasbourg because of the deteriorating health conditions in France has caused strong dissatisfaction among some French MEPs.
Anne Sander (EPP, France) said this “decision is difficult to accept”. “Parliament cancels the Strasbourg session, which is in the red zone, and transfers it to Brussels, also in the red zone. Where is the consistency?”, asks the MEP.
Mrs Sander therefore calls on the French government to “rapidly” start discussions with Parliament in order to identify the compensations that should be planned for redress due to the cancellation of the plenary sessions in Strasbourg since last March.
Jérôme Rivière (ID, France) denounced the inconsistency of the decision announced by the President of the European Parliament, David Sassoli. According to the far-right MEP, Mr Sassoli would use the pretext of the pandemic to “put France, and Strasbourg in particular, aside by flouting the treaties and undermining the Strasbourg seat”.
Since the development of the pandemic, eight plenary sessions (including two extraordinary sessions) have been moved to Brussels. (Original version in French by Pascal Hansens)