Already a candidate in 2022, we went to meet him.
Real Democracy
– On your poster appears the term “Real Democracy”, can you tell us more about what you mean by that?
Let’s do a little history if you like. Who invented Democracy? The Athenians in Ancient Greece. Who decided in Democracy? It was the citizens at the Agora who validated or not the proposals made by those drawn at random. Everyone knew until the 19th century, all philosophers (Montesquieu, Rousseau, etc.), that the only two tools that allow a regime to be qualified as “Democracy” are the drawing of lots and the Referendum. Election, to designate those who lead, is a tool invented by the Philosophers of the Enlightenment. This is essentially why the French Revolution is known throughout the world, because it invented a new system of governance, the Representative Regime, which today has imposed itself on almost the entire surface of the globe. It was very clear in the minds of the founding fathers of the first French constitutions that this regime “is not and cannot be a Democracy” (Sieyès). You have to reread Bernard Manin, what he wrote twenty years ago in Principles of Representative Government is terribly relevant today.
– So you are opposed to the Representative Regime? You don’t want us to have any more representatives?
No way ! It was clearly a positive development, compared to the monarchy, to be able to appoint representatives for a fixed period. But we believe that alongside this representative regime, tools must be established that will allow French citizens to decide directly.
– What are these tools?
These are the tools, as explained previously, which are consubstantial with a Democracy: the Referendum and the drawing of lots. But not just any Referendum, the Referendum initiated by citizens, the RIC. It must be understood that the RIC can be made of different materials and at different scales. The different matters in which the RIC can be carried out are: * Constituent RIC: make a proposal for a constitutional law to modify the Constitution * Abrogatory RIC: repeal, therefore delete a law which has been debated, voted on and promulgated by the representatives * Revocatory RIC: dismiss an elected official and trigger a new election to replace him * Legislative RIC: make an ordinary law proposal * Convocatory RIC: convene an assembly, a convention, a conference * Trigger RIC: trigger a procedure * Treaty RIC (ratification RIC ): propose the ratification of a treaty * Conventional RIC: Mandatory referendum on the conventional block of the hierarchy of standards * RIC for referral to the courts: RIC to trigger legal proceedings.
These RICs must be able to express themselves at all levels: municipality, department, region, nation, French-speaking area, European Union.
Of the 11 candidates in the last presidential election, 8 had the RIC. But all of them only proposed the lowest scale: the legislative RIC (except LFI which also had the revocative RIC). In these elections, we are the only ones who want to establish the RIC in all matters and in all areas.
scales (local…national). The number of signatures required to trigger the RIC remains to be debated, perhaps we can envisage that this number increases according to the importance of the RIC (from 700,000 for the Legislative RIC to 2 million for the Constituent RIC for example).
As for the drawing of lots, we want to introduce it for proposition chambers so that these propositions can then be validated or not by Referendum (example of the “citizens’ convention for the climate” which unfortunately did not complete its process). We also want to introduce it for control chambers. Note that the drawing of lots works very well today in France to designate assize jurors. However, the drawing of lots is still a bit like the right to vote for women in 1850: a short and wacky idea for a part of the population. It is still very early in public opinion while it would bring a breath of fresh air to our Democracy which badly needs it.
– But do you think that all this will have a real impact on the lives of our fellow citizens?
It will change everything!
We will finally have our say on all the subjects we wish: retirement, the international situation, climate change, education…
Switzerland, for example, voted by RIC on March 3 in favor of a thirteenth month of retirement pension and rejected the increase in the retirement age to 66 years. Our Swiss neighbors vote much more regularly for ideas (they call it “citizen votes”) than for people (elections). No demonstration, no violence, this tool is best suited to ensure social peace.
Another example, in Ireland, a Constitutional Convention was created, where 66 citizens chosen at random with 33 elected officials worked together for an entire year. The results are spectacular: this assembly of 99 participants revised 8 articles of the Irish Constitution, notably that on homosexual marriage. We have seen what political instability France experienced for more than a year on this issue. Ireland had a much fairer approach, although this subject is much more sensitive there (the church still has a preponderant weight there), by inviting citizens to submit reflections, files, proposals to the convention. arguments. They read, heard, consulted experts, lobbies, Catholic priests, homosexual organizations and in the end, this constituent assembly voted 79% in favor of homosexual marriage.
Texas has also shown that, in a deliberative democracy, the population is capable of proposing extremely nuanced, sophisticated laws or measures. This state, oil company par excellence, today holds the record for wind turbines. The evolution took place in a deliberative process, despite local interests favorable to the oil system.
– Do you think the French are ready for such an upheaval?
For years, polls have been consistent, indicating that the French aspire to a more direct Democracy. Certainly, in a poll, the people say what they think without having really taken the time to think (unlike a Referendum where there is significant time for reflection before expressing themselves). But we can, however, look at the CEVIPOF (SciencesPo) barometer to get an idea of the question. 83% of French people want to have “a democratic political system” and 73% of French people are
favorable to the RIC. The proportion of French citizens saying they are in favor of the RIC fluctuates between 73 and 82% according to polls. “Generally speaking, do you have confidence in political staff? » 70% NO. “Would you say that democracy works in France”: 68% not very well. “Do you trust political parties? »: 80% NO “In your opinion, do political leaders, in general, care a lot, quite a bit, a little or not at all about what people like you think? » 81% not at all. “I’m going to describe different types of political systems to you and ask you what you think about governing this country. For each one, please tell me if you agree with this way of governing the country » Have a more democratic political system? 83% YES https://www.ric-france.fr/sondages-sur-le-ric
We are therefore convinced that the French are ready to establish this Direct Democracy which will be likely to create the socio-economic and cultural conditions to live with dignity and to live well together. The current challenges are numerous and it appears to us that institutions, like the population, are aware of the need for cooperation and closer ties.
