France: Adieu to the Jacobine centralised state

French Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin has wasted no time in bringing in revolutionary new legislation which will change the institutional map of France. Sweeping new powers are to be transferred from the central authority to the regions and the individual is to be given more rights.

On Thursday, the Council of Ministers approved the new decree, which it will be presented to the Senate on 29th October and the Chamber of Deputies on 16th November. During 2003, there will be continuous consultations with the local authorities to see how much power is transferred.

For now, the plan is to give the citizens the right to petition their local authorities and decisions made by these will be approved by referendum.

Jacobine France breathes its last breath as a centralised state as Article 1 of the French Constitution is changed from “undividable, lay, democratic and social state” to include the phrase “with a decentralised organisation”.

Emilie ACQUITAINE PRAVDA.Ru PARIS FRANCE