A photo from the May 4th protest aginst the Loi sur Renseignement
France’s national assembly has voted in favor of the Projet de Loi sur Renseignement, the controversial bill which creates a legal framework around illicit tapping into meta data communications from internet-enabled devices – the law passed 438-86.
Highly regarded as the French equivalent of the US Patriot Act, enacted in a post 9-11 context where vengence trumped civil liberties (63% of French citizens said they were in favor of the bill last month – cf LesEchos), France finds itself in an oddly Bush-esque environment: an unfavorable president, a country with a wounded ego & increasing unemployment – all of which has led many to get behind a law that, in any other environment, would get suppressed by France’s liberté, egalité, fraternité mentality.
Vocal opponents took to twitter to share their reactions:
https://twitter.com/nitot/status/595603003027103744
Sad day for France… (86 against, 566 for) #PJLRenseignement . Shame.
— Security-Database (@SecurityDbase) May 5, 2015
"France is a country of surveillance" via @MediapartLeClub [photo] > http://t.co/KB4oZMOkzn #PJLRenseignement pic.twitter.com/9DXUrX6wCI
— LaParisienneLibérée (@laparisiennelib) May 5, 2015
France voted on #PJLRenseignement. Canada parliament about to vote on #C51. After these laws are in force, you can feel very insecure
— Hubert Figuière (@hfiguiere) May 5, 2015
While there are still a few steps for the bill to get ratified – approval by the president, approval by the Constitutional Council – the two bodies have already had an active role in the bill’s preparation, and so it is unlikely the outcome will change.
Photo Credit: Mediapart