On Wednesday, November 20, the office of the National Assembly recorded the creation of a France-Palestine friendship group. The aim of friendship groups is to participate in the development of parliamentary diplomacy by creating links with foreign parliaments. The creation of the France-Palestine group was rejected for the first time this year by the office, on May 15, under the XVIe legislature, when the presidential coalition was still in the majority in this highest collegial body of the Assembly. Divided on the subject, the supporters of the no vote of the presidential coalition were able to count on the support of the elected representatives of the Republicans and the National Rally (RN) in a close vote (11 against, 8 for). After the dissolution, the New Popular Front (NFP) became the majority in the office following its incredible election on July 19.
Leaving the Hemicycle, around 4:30 a.m., in the early morning of July 20, the left-wing deputies, first surprised by their unexpected success, already had in mind that this majority in the office would allow them to create this friendship group , a primarily symbolic act. Because there already existed an international study group (GEVI) devoted to Palestine, with prerogatives similar to those of a friendship group. But this designation distinguishes countries or territories which, on paper, do not meet the criteria for a friendship group: having a functional parliament, being recognized by France and being a member of the United Nations. Renaissance cited compliance with these rules to justify voting against its creation. Criteria which have not prevented the Senate from having a France-Palestine group since 1995.
Long negotiations
The choice of presidency of the France-Palestine group will now be particularly scrutinized, with the different groups in the Assembly sharing out the presidency of these groups. The MoDem deputy for Loiret Richard Ramos, already president of the previous GEVI, assures that his group will demand this presidency. La France insoumise does not want to reveal its game before the first collective negotiation meeting on Monday, but could apply. Another hot point in these negotiations: the France-Israel group. Renaissance, and the outgoing president of the friendship group, Mathieu Lefèvre (Val-de-Marne), is once again demanding his presidency, but the RN will also be in the running. The NFP groups, who have already agreed in advance not to step on each other's toes, decided not to claim the head.
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