Corinne Lepage, president of the CAP21 (Party for Citizenship, Action and Participation for the 21stC) warns us of the negative consequences of decree 2011-832 which was ratified on 12 July 2011, regarding reform of the agreement concerning environmental protection and the appointment of associations, organizations and foundations of public interests inside certain authorities.

“This decree sets the conditions for associations and foundations to be able to participate in debates on the environment” she says.

“This text is liberticide. The associations lose the right to be heard. It particularly affects the associations of experts who have been essential in warning us about possible environmental damage in recent years”, states the ex-Minister for the Environment between 1995 and 1997.

“In order to be able to be part of the important authorities, associations must have at least 2000 members. If these associations have a public purpose they must be active in at least half of the French regions, and have more than 5000 donors. Therefore the only ones that shall have the right to give an opinion on environmental policy shall be the public organisations that embrace these huge associations. Furthermore, the State reserves the right to verify how these associations are financed to assure “their independence”, she says.

The European deputy finishes off by saying “To put it another way, not only have all the warning signals from specialists fallen on deaf ears, whether it be with Borloo as minister, or with the current minister Kosciuko-Morizet, but that they are now closing the doors to those associations that could upset the lobbies defended by this government”.

This decree, furthermore, hinders citizens from being able to denounce government policies, since the requirements to appeal in court are greater.

**However that is not the end of the trouble**

On 30 June 2011 another decree restricting civil liberties even further came into force, however, in this case from a slightly less friendly perspective: Decree 2011-795 regarding firearms susceptible to being used for maintaining public order.

This gives power to the police and to the army to be able to use weapons of war to repress demonstrations in situations where violence could occur, but also to prevent them. This means that if the police, gendarme or the army think that a demonstration could become violent, they could avoid this violence by launching grenades and using lead bullets.

This decree arrives at a time of high social tension, since several European states are on the brink of bankruptcy and are adopting austerity measures which anger huge swathes of society. Governments are providing full power to sustain, even with the bloodiest repression, what for many is now an economic coup d’Etat.

**And the media?**

Good, thanks. However between the Tour de France, Carla Bruni’s pregnancy, the ongoing Strauss-Kahn affair and the reinforcements of the summer football transfer market, nothing has been said about these two measures assaulting the entire French citizenry. A summer of political silence may turn out to be a very dangerous thing when returning to work in September.

*Translated from Spanish by Rhona Desmond*

The decree on firearms in full is available [here](http://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/affichTexte.do?cidTexte=JORFTEXT000024287129&fastPos=1&fastReqId=1972265825&categorieLien=id&oldAction=rechTexte) (in French):