French Socialists storm out of parliament

FRANCE 24 with wires - Members of the opposition Socialist Party (PS) left the National Assembly Tuesday evening until further notice, in protest against attempts to short-cut discussion of a controversial parliamentary reform. The chamber was left with only the members of the ruling coalition present.

PS house leader Jean-Marc Ayrault stated that the Socialist deputies would also be absent during the televised question and answer session on Wednesday at 3pm Paris time.

MPs for the ruling UMP party and its small New Centre ally proceeded alone with discussions of the law, including the controversial article 13, which stipulates that “the amendments presented by parliament members can be voted on without prior discussion.”

The UMP party voted to close discussion of article 13, at the behest of UMP chief legal representative Jean-Luc Warsman, without having heard all speakers from the left-wing opposition.

Opposition members protested in front of the Speaker’s bench, shouting “Democracy, democracy,” and singing the Marseillaise, France’s national anthem. They also called for the resignation of parliament’s UMP leader Bernard Accoyer.