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France: Proposed law would ban anyone not vaccinated for COVID-19 from public transport

by Karen Faulkner, Worthy News Correspondent

(Worthy News) – While France’s President Emanuel Macron has said vaccination against COVID-19 will not be mandatory, French Prime Minister Jean Castex got cabinet approval Monday for a bill that would require proof of vaccination in order to access public transport among locations and activities, France24 reports. The bill now passes to the French parliament.

News of the proposed legislation triggered angry public statements from opposition politicians on the left, right, and center of the political spectrum, France 24 reports.

Deputy leader of the center-right LR party Guillaume Peltier said it was “inconceivable” that the government could “get all the power to suspend our freedoms without parliamentary control.” Centrist senator Nathalie Goulet attested that the legislation would be “an attack on public freedoms” and far-left deputy Alexis Corbiere said, “we could at least have a collective discussion if the idea is to limit our public liberties.”

Responding to the outcry, public sector minister Amelie de Montchalin said the purpose of the bill was “not at all made to create exceptional powers for the government” or to “create a health state.” Montchalin also added that “everything that needs clarification will be clarified.”

The bill also comes as polls show that 55 percent of French people say they do not want the vaccination. In any event, EU member states will begin administering the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine from Dec. 27.