French President Emmanuel Macron should either dissolve the National Assembly or put his continued tenure to a national referendum in light of the ongoing protests across the country, instead of just announcing a nationwide debate, Sebastien Cochard of France's Debout la France (France Arise) party told Sputnik
Paris, (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 15th January, 2019) French President Emmanuel Macron should either dissolve the National Assembly or put his continued tenure to a national referendum in light of the ongoing protests across the country, instead of just announcing a nationwide debate, Sebastien Cochard of France's Debout la France (France Arise) party told Sputnik.Macron started a three-month national debate in response to sustained protests by the yellows vests who have demanded an overhaul of his welfare and tax policies as well as referendums on major policy decisions. Two days before the debates, which are starting Tuesday, Macron addressed the nation in an open letter stating that the debates will focus on such topics as taxes, public spending, and environmental reform. but did not mention the possibility of putting his policies up to the popular vote.
"Macron has lost legitimacy, as well as the current National Assembly, mostly constituted by people chosen randomly last year by Macron's team. Therefore the president should either organize referendums on policy decisions, or dissolve the assembly, or submit the continuation of his mandate to a referendum," Cochard said.
The politician stressed that the debates are unlikely to have any major impact on the situation and that a referendum would be far more effective.
"Instead of a debate which will not change anything in the decisions of the government, Macron should submit his major policy decisions to a referendum. For instance the reform of the pension system," Cochard argued.
Cochard stressed that he saw a solution to the current crisis in new elections, which would bring to power a new president, government, and parliament who will "serve the people of their country and not to serve the globalist agenda and the globalized shareholders."
The wave of the so-called yellow vest protesters named after the obligatory attribute of French drivers started in France in mid-November. The French government has scrapped its planned hike in diesel taxes that sparked the protests, but the yellow vests have since morphed into a broader movement against government policies and rising living costs.
In December, Macron introduced a number of measures aimed at resolving the nation's economic and social crisis and declared a state of economic and social emergency. The proposed measures included annual bonuses for employees and exemptions from increased social security tax for pensioners earning less than 2,000 Euros (over $2,200) per month. The measures proved insufficient in pacifying the protesters, with rallies continuing across France every weekend.
