Revised Voting System Overhaul for Paris, Lyon, and Marseille in 2026: Navigating Senate's Opposition for Implementation
The future of the PLM electoral reform bill, aiming to revamp the municipal voting system of Paris-Lyon-Marseille, isn't looking bright in the Senate. With its rejection in committee back on May 21, it's hard to imagine a successful passage during the upcoming session starting June 3. The Senate's antipathy towards this bill isn't a secret—their disapproval of the proposed changes to the 1982 system is obvious. Expect a preliminary motion rejection or an unpleasant vote at the end of the debate if things follow the usual pattern.
The bill's supporters aren't exactly surprised by this, as they blame the Senate's stance on a deal between parliamentarians and the Parisian arrondissement mayors. The senators, elected by a college of grand electors comprised of municipal, departmental, and regional councilors, rely heavily on these mayors for their election. negotiating with the arrondissement mayors and councilors who will be voted on their lists, the 12 Parisian senators aim to secure the renewal of their seats scheduled for 2029. Other senators, particularly those within the majority right, follow a similar strategy, and it's backed by the unfavorable positions of President Gérard Larcher and Minister of the Interior Bruno Retailleau.
In other words, the Senate's councilors are trying to maintain their relationships with the arrondissement mayors to ensure their re-election. It's a cyclical exchange—support from the mayors leads to senatorial seats, which in turn makes re-election more likely. This recipe of political cohesion is not exclusive to the right—it's a tactic used widely in the Senate to maintain power structures.
The ongoing politicization of the PLM electoral reform bill has extended to the realm of retail politics, as senators, particularly those from the majority right, are seen negotiating with arrondissement mayors for the maintenance of their seats. The vote on the bill, scheduled for debate, may suffer under the weight of this policy-and-legislation-driven politics.
In terms of general news, the Senate's strategy of maintaining political cohesion, through exchanges with arrondissement mayors, is not a new tactic—it has been employed widely to preserve power structures within the Senate. This revelation raises questions about the integrity of the legislative process.
