Unprecedented Petition Against Duplomb Law Sparks Historic French Assembly Debate
September 17, 2025
The French National Assembly's commission for economic affairs will examine a petition against the Duplomb law, which has garnered over two million signatures, marking an unprecedented level of citizen mobilization.
Despite partial censorship by the Constitutional Council, the petition is set to be discussed in early October by the Economic Affairs Committee, with a potential debate in the Assembly within two to three months.
This examination process is highly unusual, as no previous petition of this scale has been processed in this manner, and the final decision to include it in the agenda will be made by the Conference of Presidents.
The process includes potential hearings and a report that will detail the petition and debates, possibly leading to a public session, although no vote on the law itself will occur.
The petition, initiated by a Bordeaux student, will be scheduled for debate in the committee, with the final decision on timing made by the committee's bureau, including possible hearings.
The Constitutional Council censured the most contested part of the law, which aimed to reintroduce the banned pesticide acetamiprid under certain conditions, while remaining measures include administrative simplifications for large farms and water storage projects.
The law, supported by Macron's party, LR, and far-right groups, was adopted in July and faced significant protests, including a petition with over two million signatures demanding its repeal.
Leaders like Marine Le Pen have called for a parliamentary debate to address public concerns, while opposition parties such as La France Insoumise and the Ecologists plan to propose laws to repeal the law.
The inclusion of the petition on the agenda will be decided by the Conference of Presidents, in a process described as unprecedented, and the debate will not result in a vote or alter the law.
This is a historic moment, as no petition of this scale has ever been debated in the French Fifth Republic's Assembly, marking a first in the legislative process.
Following its promulgation on August 12, 2025, the law is scheduled for review by the Assembly within two to three months, with a broader debate being considered.
The law's passage was supported by various political factions, and the petition reflects significant public dissent, with some deputies viewing it as a democratic betrayal.
The petition will be debated in the committee on September 17, 2025, with further steps possibly occurring in early October, and the process may include hearings and a report.
Summary based on 8 sources