In France, president considers non-binding public consultation to break political deadlock

President Emmanuel Macron [met] leaders of all of France's political parties [on 30 August], including his most bitter opponents, outside Paris in a bid to break the deadlock of a hung parliament. [...] In a letter inviting party bosses from the hard left to far right, Macron vowed to work together on writing new laws and "if need be" organising referendums -- a rare political tool that has previously backfired. One idea under discussion is the government organising what has been dubbed a "preferendum" -- a non-binding public consultation that would offer voters multiple choice questions on issues such as immigration or education. [...] Conservatives and the far right have already called for referendums on immigration while the NUPES alliance of left parties wants voters to have a direct say on Macron's already-passed controversial pension changes. For its part, Macron's Renaissance party would prefer a referendum with "between three and five questions", including on institutional reform. [...] Constitutional lawyers have also raised doubts, with expert Bertrand Mathieu telling Le Monde the idea amounts to "a never-before-seen procedure, a kind of life-size poll organised by the state". "Nothing would bind the legislative and executive branches afterwards, and no-one would be able to call on the Constitutional Council to insist the ballot box is respected," he added.
Read the full article here: France 24