Paris (AFP) – In the wake of the victory of the right Sunday UMP Gérard Larcher was elected as president of the Senate scheduled for Wednesday in which he promised to embody a “constructive opposition” to the government <. / p>
Pillar of the Senate and human networks, the former Minister of Labour, aged 65, found one already occupied from 2008 to 2011 according to which it intends to restore the voice after the interlude of the discrete Socialist Jean-Pierre Bel. The Senate president is regarded as the second character of the Republic, to the extent that he acts the president in case of vacancy or impediment.
“You have to give the Senate more strength, more voices, show that bicameralism is essential to the balance of our institutions, “said Mr. Larcher after his election
Under the gilding of the Luxembourg Palace Mr. Larcher was elected in the second round of voting, obtaining an absolute majority of 194 votes out of 337 votes cast by the withdrawal of the centrist candidate Francois Zoccheto.
Senators, half were elected Sunday at the election of members of the Upper House, voted one by one to the gallery, depositing their ballot held by the youngest member of the Upper House, David Rachline (26), one of two senators FN elected Sunday as the oldest, the Reunion Communist Paul Vergès (89 years) chaired the session.
In the first round, Mr. Larcher had obtained 145 votes ahead of Didier Guillaume, group president Socialist (112 votes), François Zocchetto, President of UDI-UC group (45 votes), Eliane Assassi, the only woman candidate, President of the Communist Group (18 votes), Jacques Mézard, president of RDSE group, radical leftist majority ( 13 votes) and Jean-Vincent Place, leader of the Greens (10 votes).
The election of the president had in fact played Tuesday during a primary within the UMP, where Gerard Larcher had largely defeated Jean-Pierre Raffarin.
The former prime minister was served by his stance in favor of Nicolas Sarkozy at the head of the UMP and the informal support of it back. Attached to their independence, the UMP senators want to stay away from fighting for the right leadership
-. Rehabilitating the image of the Senate –
UMP senators will have a Thursday to refer to their new primary group president between former ministers and Roger Karoutchi Gerard Longuet and the Chairman of the General Council of Vendée Bruno Retailleau.
Next week will be devoted to the election of the vice-presidents, quaestors and Secretaries of the Senate and committee chairs. In exchange for their support to Mr. Larcher, the centrists got two vice-presidents, a Quaestor and two committee chairmanships.
One issue is whether the right agrees to leave the presidency of the Committee on Finance to the opposition as did the Socialists from 2008 to 2011.
The legislative work will resume on October 14 and will be dominated by budget texts (state and social security).
Gérard Larcher promised a “constructive oppposition as a compass with the national interest.” The review in the fall of the territorial reform in its two components (map of regions and communities skills) will be the first real test of the attitude of the new majority, headwind against this reform during the campaign for the Senate.
Welcoming his election, the Minister for Relations with Parliament Jean-Marie Le Guen called “the new Senate majority to his sense of responsibility to keep the Senate force proposal” because “our country can not not afford to delay further the important reforms needed. “
In fact, the Assembly has the final say, the change of Senate Majority result of little practical consequence, even if the right can drag the examination of certain texts.
Other mission Mr. Larcher, improve the image of the Senate regularly pointed to the lifestyle of its elected officials and its officials. The reluctance earlier this year the Office of the Senate to lift the parliamentary immunity of Serge Dassault, indicted in a case of purchase of votes, or the triumphant re-election Sunday in the Bouches-du-Rhone Jean-Michel Guerin excluded from the PS because of his legal troubles, did not improve his image.
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