Start of discussions behind closed doors, two round tables and a dinner planned by this evening
The discussions normally began within the house of education of the Legion of Honor of Saint-Denis, after the arrival of various protagonists invited to take part, some of whom (those of Nupes and Jordan Bardella) made a stop in front of the cameras. We assume that the others arrived more discreetly at the meeting, set for 3 p.m. by the Head of State.
Several unmarked cars also entered the building shortly before the deadline, suggesting that the Head of State and the Presidents of the Assembly and the Senate – Yaël Braun-Pivet and Gérard Larcher – as well as the President of the Economic, Social and Environmental Council – Thierry Beaudet – also arrived on site.
As a reminder, the exchanges will take place behind closed doors: telephones are prohibited (even for the chairman), the collaborators of each speaker do not have the right to attend the discussions, just like the press, who can only film comings and goings from outside the school.
The participants are invited to discuss during two successive round tables, the first dealing with the international situation then the second around possible institutional reforms and the issue of decentralization. They will be followed by a dinner, during which all questions relating to the “national cohesion”posed by the recent urban riots (school, authority, integration, inequalities, etc.).
This dinner must be held from 8 p.m., said the Elysée. The heads of the Nupes, who announced Tuesday that they would boycott the meal together, should go out normally before the others. But Olivier Faure and Fabien Roussel, having learned in the meantime that it would be full working time, said they could stay longer than expected, depending on the state of the discussions.
Whatever the outcome of this great meeting, no announcement with great fanfare is expected this evening. The discussions should make it possible to identify avenues for reflection as well as orientations on the subjects of potential consensus (and of recorded dissensus) – in particular around reforms or referendums. It is therefore on the subject of these avenues of reflection that we can expect information as of this evening, via the statements of the representatives who took part in the exchanges.
The government announced on Wednesday that it will hold a follow-up seminar to these “Saint-Denis meetings”, in order to evaluate the proposals made by the various protagonists. This seminar will be held in a week, Wednesday, September 6th.