World French parliament approves Macron's vaccine pass

By Sudip Kar-Gupta and Jean Terzian

© Reuters/GONZALO FUENTES COVID-19 outbreak in Paris

PARIS (Reuters) -France's parliament on Thursday approved President Emmanuel Macron's plans for a vaccine pass to help curb the spread of the Omicron variant after a tumultuous debate whipped up by Macron's comments that he wanted to "piss off" the unvaccinated.

Macron told Le Parisien newspaper earlier this week that he wanted to make the lives of those refusing the COVID-19 vaccine so complicated by squeezing them out of public places that they would end up getting jabbed.

Macron's coarse language barely three months before a presidential election was widely seen as a politically calculated, tapping into a intensifying public frustration against the unvaccinated.

European flag under the Arc de Triomphe: Right and extreme right inscurus

France took this Saturday 1 January the presidency of the European Union for six months. For this occasion, the French flag has been temporarily removed from the arch of the Arc de Triomphe for the benefit of the only blue and starry banner. The Star Flag of Europe Fleet Place de l'Etoile , in Paris. Nothing abnormal for the famous blue banner that unfolds at the year.

French MPs approved a new COVID-19 vaccine pass early Thursday morning after three days of tumultuous debate, further fuelled by President Emmanuel Macron ' s remarks that he wanted to "piss off" the unvaccinated. In the National Assembly, 214 MPs approved the vaccine pass , versus 93 who voted against, while 27 abstained. If approved , the new measures would mean people aged 12 and over would have to show proof of being fully vaccinated in order to participate in certain activities, use public transport, and enter places like bars and restaurants.

The current health pass will be replaced by a so-called " vaccine pass ," except where citizens have a "compelling family or health reason" not to be vaccinated . The legislation is expected to be approved in a vote in the French parliament by Tuesday. Several MPs in the ruling En Marche! (LREM) party of President Emmanuel Macron have reported recent threats of violence. Last week, the property of another French MP in Oise was set on fire and vandalised by suspected anti- vaccine demonstrators. LREM' s Barbara Bessot Ballot said at least 52 MPs had received "unacceptable" threats.

More than 90% of over-12s have received at least two doses, government data shows. Health Minister Olivier Veran said a record number of people since Oct. 1 received a first shot on Wednesday after Macron's comments were published.

Lawmakers in the lower house passed draft legislation including the vaccine pass shortly after 5 a.m. after an all-night session by a margin of 214 to 93. Many of those who voted against the bill were from the far-right or left-wingers.

The legislation will go to the Senate before a final vote in the National Assembly.

People in France have for several months had to show either proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test to enter venues such as cinemas and cafes and use trains. But with Delta and Omicron variant infections surging, the government decided to drop the test option in the new bill.

"I have great desire to nerve them": Macron tightens tone towards unvaccinated

In the fight against the Corona pandemic, France's President Emmanuel Macron has tightened the tone against unvaccinated. "I'm really desirable to nerve them, so we will continue to do this to the end," Quoted him the newspaper "Le Parisia" in an interview from Wednesday with a glimpse. © AP President Emmanuel Macron reports his strategy for unvacaked in an interview. , in principle, he did not want the Frenchman nerves, but the group of those who are stubborn can be reduced.

French President Emmanuel Macron , seen here in a photo taken Dec. 17, 2021, touched off a political storm when he said he wanted to 'piss off' people who haven't been vaccinated against COVID-19. (John Thys/Reuters). "A president cannot say such things," lawmaker Christian Jacob, who chairs the opposition conservative les Républicains party, told parliament . "I'm in favour of the vaccine pass but I cannot back a text whose objective is to 'piss off' the French ." Jacob went on: "Is that your objective, yes or no?

France’ s parliament has approved legislation to make COVID passes a key part of daily life and vaccinations mandatory for health workers amid a surge in infections across the country. Separately on Monday, Macron announced that the number of people in France who have received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine has crossed the 40-million mark. After four million people received vaccines over the past two weeks, some 60 percent of the population are now partly or fully vaccinated , Macron tweeted during an official visit to French Polynesia.

The vaccine pass rules will apply to over-16s and not over-12 as the government had initially sought.

European countries have been grappling with whether to coerce citizens into getting vaccinated through mandates. Italy on Wednesday made COVID-19 vaccination mandatory for people from the age of 50, with teachers and public health workers already obliged to get the shot.

Prime Minister Jean Castex said countries that had moved towards compulsory vaccinations such as Italy and Austria had lower vaccination rates than France.

Castex also said France was ready to move towards a fourth COVID shot when the time was right.

On Wednesday, France registered a record of more than 332,000 new COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours, and a further 246 COVID deaths in hospitals, as the country.

(Reporting by Jean Terzian, Sudip Kar-Gupta and Elizabeth Pineau; Writing by Richard Lough; Editing by Barbara Lewis)