The ecologist group at the National Assembly is presenting a bill to include a deliberative citizen-initiated referendum in the Constitution. Carried by deputy Marie Pochon, this initiative aims to strengthen citizen participation amid distrust in institutions. It includes a debate phase with randomly selected citizens before the popular vote.
On February 12, during the ecologist group's parliamentary niche, deputy Marie Pochon, elected for Les Ecologistes in Drôme, submitted a bill to incorporate a deliberative citizen-initiated referendum (RIC) into the French Constitution. This mechanism differs from the traditional referendum by adding a discussion stage led by randomly selected citizens, partly drawing from the 'yellow vests' demands to address growing distrust toward elected officials.
The process, as outlined, starts with citizens submitting a proposal to the Constitutional Council. If deemed compliant, a twelve-month period follows to gather signatures, with a minimum threshold to be set by a future organic law. Once reached, an advisory body of randomly drawn citizens reviews the issue: they debate, hear from experts, and produce an opinion to inform the public debate, similar to citizen conventions.
Ultimately, the President of the Republic calls the referendum within three months to one year. The proposal also extends this to the local level, where the deliberative phase is optional. This measure aims to involve citizens more closely in the legislative process, without fundamentally altering Parliament's current powers.