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Ex-French PM pledges to drop decree on boost to parliament power if elected

Xinhua, December 16, 2016 Adjust font size:

Ex-French prime minister Manuel Valls proposed to repeal a decree which empowers government to force through legislation without lawmakers votes, if he wins France's presidential election in 2017.

"I know very well the perverse effects 49.3(decree) can have...it is out of date and it can come across as brutal," Valls, the favored candidate to win the Left ticket for 2017 presidential election according to polls, told France Inter radio.

Valls said he would like to limit the constitutional mechanisms power to budget laws only because "the country needs a budget."

Promising a "democratic revival," Valls vowed to reform the constitution "very quickly either through parliament or by consulting people," he added.

Serving as Socialist Party prime minister since 2014 before stepping down to focus on the presidential race, Valls had used Article 49.3 decree of the constitution to force through controversial measures to spur growth and approve new labor rules without parliament approval.

Opinion polls predicted the 54-year-old former premier would win the left-party primary scheduled for next month. However, he would very unlikely pass the first round of presidential elections next spring. Endit