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Sunday work: How Lyon has escaped the new rule

In points in the battle against work on Sundays, many UMP deputies of the Rhône-Alpes obtained from the Elysee to make Lyon an exception, in exchange for a favorable vote in the text

The deal was signed at the Elysee, a December evening. The President of the Republic received that night the three members of the majority who are leading the revolt against the text to work on Sundays: Marc Le Fur, Jean-Frédéric Poisson and Philippe Meunier.

latter was elected the 13th district of the Rhone is one of the most inflexible. A compromise, negotiated by Secretary General of the Élysée Claude Gueant, beached on the case Lyon. The new version of the bill of Richard Mall has already reduced the opportunity for businesses not to open on Sunday than in urban areas with over one million inhabitants (Paris, Marseille, Lyon and Lille).

Insufficient, opponents to the text. "I understand that we resolve the specific cases of Marseilles or Paris region where there were disputes," said Philippe Meunier, but I do not see why they would allow Sunday opening in Lyon, where traders were not seeking . For me it was opening a Pandora's box. "

A majority

difficult to meet

Philippe Meunier is not alone in defending the exception of Lyon. Among the sixty parliamentarians who co-authored an article in Le Monde, there are numerous elected officials of the Rhone-Alps: Michel and Patrice Terrot Verchere, both elected to the Lyon, but also Jacques Remiller, member of the Isère, or Xavier Breton, MP de l'Ain.

All are elected to neighboring towns of Lyons, where a dynamic local business fears competition from major retailers.

"I already one of the few UMP deputies not to vote the law to modernize the economy (LME), which was too much pride to the supermarket, said Michel Terrot. They quickly realized that we were very determined and that the majority might be difficult to meet. "

" You're still not vote with the Communists? "

During the final attempt at conciliation, hours before the start of the examination of the text by the Assembly, a committee chairman is launching their "You're still not vote the motion referral to committee (which interrupted the debate, Ed) with the Communists? "Given their positive response, a crisis meeting was organized at the highest levels of state.

Philippe Meunier will then defend Nicolas Sarkozy a specific way of life in the capital of Gaul. "I explained that Lyon was not Paris and we did not want to have the same habits, says the key stakeholder. And there were no Japanese tourists to attend the Decathlon Saint-Priest. "

The Head of State would then ruled:" If they do not want it, we do will not impose on them. "The agreement was finally sealed the next night at the meeting, during a heated discussion with the advisors of the Elysée and Matignon. Result: Lyon has been removed from the device, provided that members slingers undertake to support the text.

defend local shops

The Lyon is she really a special case in terms of consumption? Admittedly, this is an area of Christian Democratic tradition, which remains attached to traditional values like the West of France or Alsace-Lorraine.

Most members opposed to the text came from these regions. Cardinal Philippe Barbarin, Primate of the Gauls and unquestionable moral authority of the city, expressed early reservations of the Church of Lyons.

"But do not lie, the main reason was the defense of local shops," says Jacques Remiller. Especially that big shopping center projects in preparation for Lyons, elected officials concerned about right. Michel says Terrot defend the equilibrium that exists between a very small local shops living and retail.

This is confirmed by the Vice-President of ICC Tarlier Bruno: "We have a fairly innovative partnership between communities and chambers for the harmonious development of trade. And on this issue, there was a consensus among us does not want Sunday opening. "Apparently, traders Lyon were heard.

Celine Rouden / Cross