French MPs Vote to Scrap Low-Emission Zones in Blow to Macron

French MPs vote to scrap low-emission zones in blow to Macron

Critics said the zones hit those who cannot afford less-polluting vehicles the hardest.

The ZFEs, or Low-emission zones, are devices in force in large French cities that restrict the circulation of certain thermal cars to reduce air pollution. Progressively introduced since 2021, this system has always been criticized by part of the political class and Wednesday, 28 May, as parliamentarians were examining the law on "economic simplification", several parties joined the Assembly to vote for an amendment to abolish the ZFEs.

France is going to roll back one of the most important climate measures of the Macron government. It concerns the low emission zones, or ZFEs. These are cities and areas that are forbidden for old polluting cars. These zones were set up to reduce air pollution. The French parliament has now decided to abolish these zones. Polluting cars will be given free rein again. According to calculations by Le Monde, 2.7 million old cars that have been bann…

As part of the review of the "simplification" of economic life bill, Members of Parliament voted on Wednesday, 28 May, to abolish these air pollution control tools, which restrict the movement of certain vehicles.

This Wednesday evening, the National Assembly approved the simplification bill, reducing the principle of "zero net artificialisation" and eliminating low-emission zones, a choice that divides the House.

This Wednesday, the National Assembly voted to abolish low-emission zones (ZFEs) designed to combat air pollution. Its definitive abolition remains conditional on the adoption of the law on the simplification of economic life.