By a narrow margin, the French National Assembly has approved an indefinite halt on the approval, extension, or commissioning of new wind and solar energy projects. The government has described this decision as a serious setback for both climate goals and the industrial sector.
The proposal was adopted on Thursday with only 65 votes in favor, 62 against, and four abstentions. According to the decision, no new wind or solar installations may be authorized, extended, or brought into operation for the time being.
The justification provided in the proposal states that the moratorium will remain in place “for the period necessary to conduct an independent, thorough, and objective study to determine the optimal energy mix for France from both economic and ecological perspectives.” The proposal was introduced by Republican deputy Jérôme Nury and received support from members of the Rassemblement National faction as well as deputies from the Ciotti group within the Republicans. An almost identical proposal from the RN was not put to a vote afterward.
The passage of the proposal was mainly due to the abstention of deputies from both the government camp and the left-wing opposition. Government rapporteur Antoine Armand (Renaissance) called for a suspension of the session following the vote and subsequently declared, “We have decided on an economic and industrial catastrophe.” The moratorium is part of ongoing discussions regarding the “programmation pluriannuelle de l’énergie” (PPE), which serves as the central planning instrument for French energy policy. This new framework will apply from 2025 to 2035 and is intended to be established both by law and by decree. The draft includes targets for electricity production, energy consumption, and supply security, with the overarching goal of achieving climate neutrality by 2050.
