The review of the public session

Once adopted the Commission's text is discussed and voted on by senators in public. This requires that the project or the bill be placed on the agenda. Senate hemicycle the plenary discussion follows a very specific scenario in which involved a number of players whose role is strictly defined. Here is what these players:

 The government representative, who is the Minister or the Secretary of State specifically concerned with the text in question. Its role is to give the government position. The reporter appointed by the commission, whose role is fundamental throughout the debate.

Eventually the or reporters appointed by the committees asked for opinions; Senators who desired to speak in the debate; Finally, the chairman is the Senate President or one of the Vice Presidents. He heads the debates, gives voice to those who have requested and made the votes.

The government, represented by the Minister concerned, this project it defends. The rapporteur summarizes the main lines of the text under discussion, identifies what he brings new and sets out the position of the Commission.

At this stage of debate, each senator including, in the case of a bill, the author of it - has the right to intervene to give his own opinion. The usual rule is that each political group delegates one of its members to explain his position to the other senators.

As soon completed the general discussion, we move to the discussion of the text itself. The chairman successively calls the various articles and for each proposed amendment. The purpose of each amendment is exposed by its author. This can be the rapporteur.a senator or representative government. Discussions ensued, during which each other and give their opinion.

Then the vote. Each Senator can be for, against or abstain. The Secretaries that is to say senators chosen by their colleagues to perform these functions  are the count. Depending on the case, the Chair declared the amendment adopted or rejected. This is so the first and last section of the text.

Then comes the vote on the entire text. The Chairman put the entire proposal or project with already accepted amendments. Before voting, each senator has the right to present very quickly its explanations of vote. Generally, these are the representatives of political groups who do on behalf of their members.

The Constitution provides that a law to be adopted must be adopted in terms strictly identical to the Senate and the National Assembly. However, from a similar project, the two assemblies often vote the various texts. We need to agree a conciliation procedure. The normal procedure is to return the text of the Senate in the National Assembly and vice versa until the agreement is perfect.