The abolition of ZFEs, first and foremost a “victory for the far right”
On Wednesday, May 28, Insoumis MPs joined forces with the right and far right to vote to abolish low-emission zones (LEZs). A close call that deals a blow to Emmanuel Macron, who introduced the measure in 2019, but also appears to be a victory for the National Rally, according to the British press.
It was a “flagship measure” of Emmanuel Macron’s first term, writes the BBC website . Introduced in 2019, the Low Emission Zone (LEZ) law aimed to reduce air pollution in a handful of major French cities, before being extended to all urban areas with more than 150,000 inhabitants. But this legislation, which required vehicles to display a Crit’Air sticker to enter LEZs, had long been “criticized because it would target those who have the most difficulty acquiring less polluting vehicles,” recalls the British Broadcasting Service.
On Wednesday, May 28, French MPs decided to reverse this measure by 98 votes in favor and 51 against. In the National Assembly, "a handful of Macronist MPs joined forces with right-wing and far-right opposition parties" to eliminate these ZFEs, the London-based media outlet details. Minister for Ecological Transition Agnès Pannier-Runnacher had attempted to "prevent Wednesday night's revolt" by tabling an amendment to keep the ZFEs in the cities of Paris and Lyon. But it was rejected by 115 votes against and 24 for.
The magnitude of
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