1 00:00:16,977 --> 00:00:19,167 We are pleased, here with ATTAC, 2 00:00:19,167 --> 00:00:21,297 to welcome Etienne Chouard 3 00:00:21,297 --> 00:00:23,767 for a conference with an utopian title: 4 00:00:23,837 --> 00:00:27,277 European Union, if we had to do it again? 5 00:00:27,277 --> 00:00:29,267 Etienne Chouard is a teacher 6 00:00:29,267 --> 00:00:31,327 of Law and Economics in Marseille. 7 00:00:31,327 --> 00:00:33,327 He is also an independent researcher, 8 00:00:33,327 --> 00:00:35,427 and he feed his thoughts with debates 9 00:00:35,427 --> 00:00:37,840 which took place in 2005 10 00:00:37,840 --> 00:00:41,481 during the European Constitutional Treaty. 11 00:00:41,481 --> 00:00:45,671 The possibility to say "no" to that treaty, to this constitution 12 00:00:45,671 --> 00:00:48,801 made him study it thouroughly, 13 00:00:48,801 --> 00:00:52,801 and then reveal all the wrongdoings of this constitution, 14 00:00:52,850 --> 00:00:54,905 which, he says, was done 15 00:00:54,905 --> 00:00:56,885 not for the people, 16 00:00:56,885 --> 00:00:58,645 but for those who wrote it, 17 00:00:58,645 --> 00:01:00,885 and who governs us. 18 00:01:00,885 --> 00:01:02,625 Tonight, he will present 19 00:01:02,625 --> 00:01:04,885 his vision of the European Union, 20 00:01:04,885 --> 00:01:07,335 Of democracy and what it means. 21 00:01:07,335 --> 00:01:09,885 We will also discuss 22 00:01:09,885 --> 00:01:12,885 the theme of money creation 23 00:01:12,885 --> 00:01:16,225 Question the need for a constitutional treaty. 24 00:01:16,225 --> 00:01:17,885 And evoke 25 00:01:17,885 --> 00:01:20,885 a new and original process: 26 00:01:20,885 --> 00:01:22,475 that is selected by lot 27 00:01:22,475 --> 00:01:25,395 in order to elect our representatives. 28 00:01:25,395 --> 00:01:27,335 Before giving the mic to Etienne, 29 00:01:27,335 --> 00:01:30,235 I want to thank the City Hall 30 00:01:30,235 --> 00:01:32,959 for giving us this conference room. 31 00:01:32,959 --> 00:01:34,969 And thanks to Etienne 32 00:01:34,969 --> 00:01:37,969 who is not paid to be here. 33 00:01:37,969 --> 00:01:43,720 This conference will last 34 00:01:43,720 --> 00:01:45,860 until around 10 PM. 35 00:01:45,860 --> 00:01:47,730 So, we will have a first part, 36 00:01:47,730 --> 00:01:49,230 until 7.30PM, 37 00:01:49,230 --> 00:01:50,829 To talk about different points. 38 00:01:50,829 --> 00:01:53,329 Then we will make a short break. 39 00:01:53,329 --> 00:01:56,329 It's possible to get food nearby. 40 00:01:56,329 --> 00:01:58,102 And we'll come back 41 00:01:58,102 --> 00:02:00,592 at 8 to continue the debate. 42 00:02:00,592 --> 00:02:04,592 Now, Etienne will take the stage. 43 00:02:04,889 --> 00:02:08,499 Can you hear me? 44 00:02:08,499 --> 00:02:11,859 I should lean closer to this thing... 45 00:02:11,859 --> 00:02:14,799 Can you hear me? 46 00:02:14,799 --> 00:02:19,099 Good evening, everyone. 47 00:02:22,479 --> 00:02:27,139 I have a strong idea to get us out of this mess. 48 00:02:27,139 --> 00:02:30,379 I'm here to talk about it. 49 00:02:30,379 --> 00:02:32,989 I woke up 6 years ago 50 00:02:32,989 --> 00:02:35,099 during the debate for the 51 00:02:35,099 --> 00:02:36,949 European anticonstitutional treaty 52 00:02:36,949 --> 00:02:39,099 which was suggested in 2005. 53 00:02:39,099 --> 00:02:40,669 I say anticonstituational 54 00:02:40,669 --> 00:02:43,269 because it serves, once well studied, 55 00:02:43,269 --> 00:02:47,429 it serves to destroy our national constitutions. 56 00:02:47,429 --> 00:02:49,129 And, it works well. 57 00:02:49,129 --> 00:02:52,129 It's a system that works. 58 00:02:52,129 --> 00:02:53,379 And, since then, 59 00:02:54,075 --> 00:02:56,375 since I woke up 60 00:02:56,375 --> 00:02:58,885 I remained awake, 61 00:02:58,885 --> 00:03:01,795 and I'm thinking about what might 62 00:03:01,796 --> 00:03:04,110 protect human beings 63 00:03:04,110 --> 00:03:06,820 against abuses of power. 64 00:03:06,820 --> 00:03:08,240 So I read a lot. 65 00:03:08,240 --> 00:03:11,380 The more I read, the more I want to read. 66 00:03:11,380 --> 00:03:13,260 It's becoming a reading frenzy. 67 00:03:13,260 --> 00:03:14,730 And at the same time, I am discovering. 68 00:03:14,730 --> 00:03:16,100 something useful. I'm finding, 69 00:03:16,100 --> 00:03:17,350 in the history of men, 70 00:03:17,350 --> 00:03:19,320 in the history of human thinking, 71 00:03:19,320 --> 00:03:20,655 I find that men 72 00:03:20,655 --> 00:03:23,655 have had problems with powers for a long time. 73 00:03:23,655 --> 00:03:25,445 I find that men 74 00:03:25,445 --> 00:03:26,875 need (ruling) powers 75 00:03:26,875 --> 00:03:28,835 when we live in a society. 76 00:03:28,835 --> 00:03:32,585 We need to delegate some powers. 77 00:03:32,597 --> 00:03:36,597 And the men to whom we give the power to, 78 00:03:36,597 --> 00:03:38,257 have always been changing. 79 00:03:38,257 --> 00:03:40,597 They transform in a bad way. 80 00:03:40,597 --> 00:03:42,614 So I find by reading, 81 00:03:42,614 --> 00:03:44,604 that since Aristotle and the Athenian era, 82 00:03:44,604 --> 00:03:46,714 - I'll talk a lot about Athens tonight 83 00:03:46,744 --> 00:03:48,604 especially in the second part - 84 00:03:48,604 --> 00:03:50,894 I find that... 85 00:03:51,154 --> 00:03:54,794 men have developed means 86 00:03:54,794 --> 00:03:57,794 to protect themselves from power abuses. 87 00:03:57,794 --> 00:04:01,424 Very clever means. 88 00:04:01,424 --> 00:04:03,634 Often thwarted by those 89 00:04:03,634 --> 00:04:06,634 I call "power thiefs". 90 00:04:06,634 --> 00:04:10,472 But... 91 00:04:10,472 --> 00:04:12,270 It's not set in stone. 92 00:04:12,270 --> 00:04:13,130 Today, 93 00:04:13,130 --> 00:04:14,893 we are governed by people 94 00:04:14,893 --> 00:04:16,623 abusing of their (ruling) powers. 95 00:04:16,623 --> 00:04:18,205 I think the current situation 96 00:04:18,205 --> 00:04:19,457 really allows for.... 97 00:04:19,457 --> 00:04:20,890 It is a caricature today. 98 00:04:20,890 --> 00:04:22,189 Those who don't see 99 00:04:22,189 --> 00:04:23,419 that those in power abuse 100 00:04:23,419 --> 00:04:24,799 are completely blind. 101 00:04:24,799 --> 00:04:27,599 But I think everyone sees that. 102 00:04:27,599 --> 00:04:30,059 Room question : Who are you talking about? 103 00:04:30,059 --> 00:04:32,359 The people who are in power. 104 00:04:32,359 --> 00:04:34,029 Members of the Parliament, 105 00:04:34,029 --> 00:04:37,319 Ministers, they all make decisions. 106 00:04:37,319 --> 00:04:40,999 Without any means for, 107 00:04:40,999 --> 00:04:46,959 the people's discontent to materialize. 108 00:04:46,959 --> 00:04:50,959 I think it's clear enough. 109 00:04:53,711 --> 00:04:58,921 The main tool that humans created 110 00:04:58,939 --> 00:05:02,939 that has been used since Athens, 111 00:05:02,939 --> 00:05:05,399 is called the Constitution. 112 00:05:05,399 --> 00:05:08,049 It's the rule of law. 113 00:05:08,049 --> 00:05:10,029 The law allowed for 114 00:05:10,029 --> 00:05:11,859 societies to be pacified. 115 00:05:11,859 --> 00:05:16,109 Our representatives, to whom we give the right 116 00:05:16,109 --> 00:05:18,582 to write the law, 117 00:05:18,582 --> 00:05:21,532 to whom we give the power to write the law, 118 00:05:21,532 --> 00:05:23,552 are, by definition, because they can write the rules, 119 00:05:23,552 --> 00:05:25,452 they are dangerous. 120 00:05:25,452 --> 00:05:29,652 And the constitution is used to... 121 00:05:29,652 --> 00:05:31,757 to limit their power. 122 00:05:31,757 --> 00:05:33,837 To weaken their power. 123 00:05:33,837 --> 00:05:38,147 A constitution is used to protect 124 00:05:38,147 --> 00:05:41,407 those who consent to obey the laws. 125 00:05:42,167 --> 00:05:45,397 It is used to protect them from the abuses of those 126 00:05:45,397 --> 00:05:48,247 who have the right to write the rules and the law. 127 00:05:48,247 --> 00:05:50,844 And so, this is an important and clever text. 128 00:05:50,844 --> 00:05:53,684 In fact, when we talk about the constitution, 129 00:05:53,684 --> 00:05:55,864 we talk about the law of the law. 130 00:05:55,864 --> 00:05:58,094 It is a law which is above 131 00:05:58,094 --> 00:06:00,284 those who make the law. 132 00:06:00,284 --> 00:06:02,700 It's a superior law. 133 00:06:02,700 --> 00:06:04,192 It's more than a law. 134 00:06:04,192 --> 00:06:08,012 It's more than politics, it's philosophical politics. 135 00:06:08,012 --> 00:06:10,803 And it concerns us all directly. All of us. 136 00:06:10,803 --> 00:06:13,803 It concerns us very directly. 137 00:06:13,803 --> 00:06:18,063 We should learn what a constitution is, 138 00:06:18,063 --> 00:06:20,213 from a very early age. 139 00:06:20,213 --> 00:06:22,273 We should know our constitution 140 00:06:22,273 --> 00:06:23,743 by heart. 141 00:06:23,743 --> 00:06:27,743 And we should protect our constitution. 142 00:06:28,619 --> 00:06:30,839 As if it were the best protection 143 00:06:30,839 --> 00:06:33,839 against all sorts of dominations 144 00:06:33,839 --> 00:06:37,839 which might attack us. 145 00:06:40,171 --> 00:06:42,134 Oddly enough though, 146 00:06:42,134 --> 00:06:45,134 people don't care about the constitution at all. 147 00:06:45,134 --> 00:06:46,134 They ignore it. 148 00:06:46,134 --> 00:06:48,094 They've heard the word, 149 00:06:48,094 --> 00:06:49,974 but they don't know what it means, 150 00:06:49,974 --> 00:06:51,534 what it's for, 151 00:06:51,534 --> 00:06:53,434 how it works. 152 00:06:53,434 --> 00:06:55,414 They don't know what's in it. 153 00:06:55,414 --> 00:06:57,264 And I think that it is... 154 00:06:57,674 --> 00:06:59,194 I'll get back to that, 155 00:06:59,194 --> 00:07:01,384 but I think it's the cause of causes. 156 00:07:01,384 --> 00:07:02,894 You'll see that I'm looking for, 157 00:07:02,894 --> 00:07:04,914 in my various subjects, 158 00:07:04,914 --> 00:07:06,754 which I think about 159 00:07:06,754 --> 00:07:09,524 while I'm on this kind of quest, 160 00:07:09,524 --> 00:07:13,524 the quest to resist against abuse of power. 161 00:07:13,947 --> 00:07:15,487 The main method which ... 162 00:07:15,487 --> 00:07:18,487 which I am following is... 163 00:07:18,487 --> 00:07:20,297 I'm looking for the cause of causes, 164 00:07:20,297 --> 00:07:22,092 as Herodotus suggested. 165 00:07:22,092 --> 00:07:23,752 I'm looking for the cause of causes, 166 00:07:23,752 --> 00:07:25,552 and it's true that it works well. 167 00:07:25,552 --> 00:07:28,892 When you want to solve a problem, 168 00:07:28,892 --> 00:07:30,882 try to find (a solution) through... 169 00:07:30,882 --> 00:07:33,882 Everything is multifactorial. 170 00:07:33,882 --> 00:07:36,372 Every phenomena has several causes, but, 171 00:07:36,372 --> 00:07:40,122 if you manage to find the determining causes, 172 00:07:40,122 --> 00:07:41,672 by this I mean the causes 173 00:07:41,672 --> 00:07:43,755 that lead to other causes 174 00:07:43,755 --> 00:07:45,758 The primordial causes, 175 00:07:45,758 --> 00:07:47,648 and even better, if you find 176 00:07:47,648 --> 00:07:50,487 one cause particularly important, 177 00:07:50,487 --> 00:07:54,607 by thinking about this one cause, 178 00:07:54,607 --> 00:07:56,717 you solve many problems at once. 179 00:07:56,717 --> 00:07:58,357 It's more intelligent 180 00:07:58,357 --> 00:07:59,997 than treating the consequences. 181 00:07:59,997 --> 00:08:01,250 But from what I see, 182 00:08:01,250 --> 00:08:03,070 the people who came before my wake up call, 183 00:08:03,070 --> 00:08:05,080 while I was still a passive citizen, 184 00:08:05,080 --> 00:08:06,767 all the old resistants, 185 00:08:06,767 --> 00:08:09,337 those who spent most of their lives resisting 186 00:08:09,337 --> 00:08:10,908 very often, they resisted 187 00:08:10,908 --> 00:08:13,378 focusing on the consequences. 188 00:08:13,378 --> 00:08:14,378 Some resists 189 00:08:14,378 --> 00:08:16,358 against ecological disasters. 190 00:08:16,358 --> 00:08:20,358 Others against the lack of democracy at work. 191 00:08:20,358 --> 00:08:24,358 Others against the corruption of the government. 192 00:08:24,358 --> 00:08:28,358 There are associations, movements... 193 00:08:28,358 --> 00:08:32,358 Some are against nuclear plants, for example. 194 00:08:32,358 --> 00:08:33,738 Etc... 195 00:08:36,358 --> 00:08:38,588 And, I think, 196 00:08:38,588 --> 00:08:42,688 - I'm like everyone else, I have my own pet subject - 197 00:08:42,688 --> 00:08:45,168 but I think that, 198 00:08:45,168 --> 00:08:49,338 all those social injustices, 199 00:08:49,338 --> 00:08:51,485 have one common cause, 200 00:08:51,485 --> 00:08:53,375 which is the abuse of power. 201 00:08:53,375 --> 00:08:55,095 I mean the possibility 202 00:08:55,095 --> 00:08:57,815 for those who have the power, to abuse of it. 203 00:08:57,815 --> 00:09:01,181 It seems to me that this is the common cause 204 00:09:01,181 --> 00:09:03,791 So, I try to understand. 205 00:09:03,791 --> 00:09:07,811 What allows people who have power 206 00:09:07,811 --> 00:09:09,444 to abuse in this fashion 207 00:09:09,444 --> 00:09:11,584 wihtout us being able to react? 208 00:09:11,584 --> 00:09:16,462 Today, the states create for the banks 209 00:09:16,462 --> 00:09:20,492 hundreds, thousands of billions 210 00:09:20,492 --> 00:09:23,082 so that banks can themselves 211 00:09:23,082 --> 00:09:27,082 lend it to us with interests. 212 00:09:27,082 --> 00:09:31,532 And instead of lending to small companies, 213 00:09:34,123 --> 00:09:37,733 or to citizen in needs, 214 00:09:37,733 --> 00:09:40,623 this money goes in the pockets 215 00:09:40,623 --> 00:09:42,483 of people super rich 216 00:09:42,483 --> 00:09:44,533 who already have too much money. 217 00:09:44,533 --> 00:09:46,513 And we can't do a thing to resist! 218 00:09:46,513 --> 00:09:48,053 What can we do to resist? 219 00:09:48,053 --> 00:09:49,423 I am not exaggerating. 220 00:09:49,423 --> 00:09:51,473 Concretely, what can we do to resist? 221 00:09:51,473 --> 00:09:54,363 Someone in the room : 'It's essential to sustain the banks... 222 00:09:54,363 --> 00:09:56,373 so that they can allow for investments." 223 00:09:56,373 --> 00:09:57,693 I do not agree. 224 00:09:57,693 --> 00:10:01,343 In fact, when we will talk about money... 225 00:10:04,183 --> 00:10:08,183 Your objections are absolutely precious to me. 226 00:10:08,183 --> 00:10:11,743 I mean, I need objections to improve myself. 227 00:10:11,743 --> 00:10:14,983 And objections, controversies I'm experiencing since six years 228 00:10:14,983 --> 00:10:16,823 make me progress very fast. 229 00:10:16,823 --> 00:10:20,823 So I will definitely not remove any of your objections 230 00:10:20,823 --> 00:10:22,503 with the back of my hand 231 00:10:22,503 --> 00:10:24,646 wihtout making the effort to prove 232 00:10:24,646 --> 00:10:27,726 carefully and rationally 233 00:10:27,726 --> 00:10:31,726 the points I defend in opposition to you. 234 00:10:32,616 --> 00:10:35,116 When you say: 235 00:10:35,116 --> 00:10:39,986 "We absolutely need to save the banks, to support the banks" 236 00:10:39,986 --> 00:10:43,986 Yes, but not unrequited. 237 00:10:43,986 --> 00:10:45,946 Yes, but not without obligations. 238 00:10:45,946 --> 00:10:48,366 Yes because if we give up on the banks, 239 00:10:48,366 --> 00:10:50,336 the system falls and us with it. 240 00:10:50,336 --> 00:10:51,356 Yes so in fact, 241 00:10:51,356 --> 00:10:55,356 as Frederic Lordon, a friend, says 242 00:10:55,356 --> 00:10:58,576 in fact, we need to support the banks. 243 00:10:58,576 --> 00:11:00,576 Support our financial system. 244 00:11:00,576 --> 00:11:03,296 But nothing, nothing obliges us 245 00:11:03,296 --> 00:11:05,546 or obliges those who govern us 246 00:11:05,546 --> 00:11:07,627 to do it unrequitedly. Nothing at all. 247 00:11:07,627 --> 00:11:10,337 These people are in fraudulent bankruptcy. 248 00:11:10,337 --> 00:11:12,917 The banks today are in fraudulent bankruptcy. 249 00:11:12,917 --> 00:11:14,977 Which means they should be in jail. 250 00:11:14,977 --> 00:11:17,181 And instead we save them without any compensations? 251 00:11:17,181 --> 00:11:19,328 I find it more than questionable. 252 00:11:19,328 --> 00:11:20,968 But we will come back to it if you want 253 00:11:20,968 --> 00:11:23,298 when it will be the time to talk about money. 254 00:11:23,298 --> 00:11:25,268 Because I have many topics. 255 00:11:25,268 --> 00:11:27,238 And I can talk about money now but 256 00:11:27,238 --> 00:11:29,648 it seems to me that there is a logical order. 257 00:11:29,648 --> 00:11:32,418 I think we can start by observing 258 00:11:32,418 --> 00:11:35,568 the way European Union works 259 00:11:35,570 --> 00:11:37,930 and its malfunctions 260 00:11:37,930 --> 00:11:39,740 as it is the topic of the evening. 261 00:11:39,740 --> 00:11:42,020 What do we do with this European Union? 262 00:11:42,020 --> 00:11:45,190 If we had to do it again, would we? 263 00:11:45,190 --> 00:11:47,730 And, as we will study the European Union, 264 00:11:47,730 --> 00:11:49,200 we will talk about money. 265 00:11:49,200 --> 00:11:51,360 We will deepen the topic of money. 266 00:11:51,360 --> 00:11:52,800 And I will tell you about 267 00:11:52,800 --> 00:11:54,760 the mecanisms of monetary creation. 268 00:11:54,760 --> 00:11:55,830 The way today 269 00:11:55,830 --> 00:11:57,030 we create money 270 00:11:57,030 --> 00:11:58,322 is... crazy! 271 00:11:58,322 --> 00:11:59,672 Really not reasonable. 272 00:11:59,672 --> 00:12:01,022 And it's not the only way to do it. 273 00:12:01,022 --> 00:12:02,742 There are alternatives. 274 00:12:02,742 --> 00:12:05,142 We could create the money in a different way. 275 00:12:05,142 --> 00:12:06,822 With risks that we need to understand 276 00:12:06,822 --> 00:12:08,722 and which we will talk about. 277 00:12:08,722 --> 00:12:11,772 But risks which should not lead us 278 00:12:11,772 --> 00:12:13,532 to give up reclaiming 279 00:12:13,532 --> 00:12:15,592 the process of monetary creation. 280 00:12:15,592 --> 00:12:18,132 But I suggest that we will talk about it a little bit later. 281 00:12:18,132 --> 00:12:21,082 To avoid talking about everything at the same time. 282 00:12:21,082 --> 00:12:23,362 But, everytime, which would be good 283 00:12:23,362 --> 00:12:25,222 is that I could tell you 284 00:12:25,222 --> 00:12:28,222 where I am with my analysis. The work I am doing. 285 00:12:28,222 --> 00:12:29,362 And then I stop. 286 00:12:29,362 --> 00:12:31,082 Even if I haven't said everything. 287 00:12:31,082 --> 00:12:33,182 Because if I say everything I have to say, 288 00:12:33,182 --> 00:12:35,822 I could talk about it days on end without stopping 289 00:12:35,822 --> 00:12:37,722 So, I won't to tell you everything. 290 00:12:37,722 --> 00:12:40,112 That I stop and let you talk. 291 00:12:41,090 --> 00:12:42,800 And a good part 292 00:12:42,800 --> 00:12:44,240 of what I have to tell you, 293 00:12:44,240 --> 00:12:46,950 I express it in reaction to your objections, 294 00:12:46,950 --> 00:12:48,821 your fears, your suggestions. 295 00:12:48,821 --> 00:12:51,111 And also because, for me, it is precious. 296 00:12:51,111 --> 00:12:52,811 I come looking for this as well. 297 00:12:52,811 --> 00:12:54,291 Which means you will 298 00:12:54,291 --> 00:12:56,251 most certainly bring me 299 00:12:56,252 --> 00:12:57,272 a lot of things 300 00:12:57,272 --> 00:12:59,382 through new objections, a new idea. 301 00:12:59,382 --> 00:13:00,972 Almost at every conference 302 00:13:00,972 --> 00:13:03,682 I come out with a good, a really good idea. 303 00:13:03,682 --> 00:13:06,652 Which will help me. Which I cultivate. Which I work on. 304 00:13:06,652 --> 00:13:08,832 Someone in the room : "Dialogue is essential...." 305 00:13:08,832 --> 00:13:11,152 Absolutely! Dialogue is absolutely essential. 306 00:13:11,152 --> 00:13:12,352 There is a sentence 307 00:13:12,352 --> 00:13:14,072 which I discovered last week 308 00:13:14,072 --> 00:13:15,522 which says it differently. 309 00:13:15,522 --> 00:13:18,792 Which says "I need my enemies". 310 00:13:18,792 --> 00:13:21,292 It's really well said, I believe. 311 00:13:21,292 --> 00:13:23,864 It's true that I need my opponents. 312 00:13:23,864 --> 00:13:26,244 I need my opponents to move forward. 313 00:13:26,244 --> 00:13:27,965 And I also need my friends. 314 00:13:27,965 --> 00:13:29,785 Who disagree with me on certain topics. 315 00:13:29,785 --> 00:13:31,265 And who contradict me on those. 316 00:13:31,265 --> 00:13:33,293 I love controversy. 317 00:13:33,293 --> 00:13:36,153 here, I think I never progress as much 318 00:13:36,153 --> 00:13:39,133 as during a contradictory debate 319 00:13:39,133 --> 00:13:40,753 where we do not agree. 320 00:13:40,753 --> 00:13:43,542 And sometimes I realize that I was wrong. 321 00:13:43,542 --> 00:13:45,912 That I had a wrong angle, and I correct it. 322 00:13:45,912 --> 00:13:47,344 Sometimes I manage to show 323 00:13:47,344 --> 00:13:49,424 that it's my opponent that had a wrong angle. 324 00:13:49,428 --> 00:13:50,728 And here we discuss. 325 00:13:50,728 --> 00:13:52,578 My goal is not be right. 326 00:13:52,578 --> 00:13:54,978 I am looking for... the greater good. 327 00:13:54,978 --> 00:13:57,908 And most of the resistants too. 328 00:13:57,908 --> 00:14:00,758 We all have our method, our tools. 329 00:14:00,758 --> 00:14:04,158 I think that people who are looking for social justice, 330 00:14:04,158 --> 00:14:06,588 out of good faith, should be able to get along. 331 00:14:06,588 --> 00:14:08,318 If they disagree on 332 00:14:08,318 --> 00:14:09,638 the means to reach 333 00:14:09,638 --> 00:14:10,848 social justice, 334 00:14:10,848 --> 00:14:12,698 I think they should be capable 335 00:14:12,698 --> 00:14:14,898 to discuss it respectfully. 336 00:14:14,898 --> 00:14:16,598 By trying to take the best 337 00:14:16,598 --> 00:14:18,271 of the other's thinking process. 338 00:14:18,271 --> 00:14:20,331 We just need to give ourselves time. 339 00:14:20,331 --> 00:14:21,771 And actually it is good 340 00:14:21,771 --> 00:14:23,181 that we have time tonight. 341 00:14:23,181 --> 00:14:25,731 Because these are real rich and dense topics. 342 00:14:25,731 --> 00:14:27,991 On which we have much to say. 343 00:14:27,991 --> 00:14:29,511 It's good to have time 344 00:14:29,511 --> 00:14:31,164 to develop them 345 00:14:33,474 --> 00:14:36,366 I handed out 346 00:14:36,366 --> 00:14:38,216 a first double-sided document . 347 00:14:38,216 --> 00:14:40,166 A simple sheet on which... 348 00:14:40,166 --> 00:14:42,176 You will see I have brought 349 00:14:42,176 --> 00:14:43,486 a lot of documents. 350 00:14:43,486 --> 00:14:45,866 Because I am a teacher. 351 00:14:45,866 --> 00:14:48,306 And so, I am used to... 352 00:14:50,916 --> 00:14:54,916 Not saying everything. 353 00:14:54,916 --> 00:14:58,916 And at the same time to see that people who listen to me 354 00:14:58,916 --> 00:15:01,350 are not always so focused. 355 00:15:01,350 --> 00:15:03,950 And I am the same, we are all like this. 356 00:15:03,950 --> 00:15:07,950 And can miss an important moment 357 00:15:07,950 --> 00:15:11,230 which we lack, later, from the whole reasoning. 358 00:15:11,230 --> 00:15:14,350 The good way to overcome these difficulties 359 00:15:14,350 --> 00:15:15,940 to communicate orally 360 00:15:15,940 --> 00:15:18,800 is to have a written support, which sets [the topics] well. 361 00:15:18,800 --> 00:15:21,120 [A document] prepared in advance 362 00:15:21,120 --> 00:15:23,490 and on which we are sure we haven't forgotten anything. 363 00:15:23,490 --> 00:15:26,320 I am not going to read this document 364 00:15:26,320 --> 00:15:28,300 but I invite you to read it calmly 365 00:15:28,300 --> 00:15:29,610 at your leisure, later. 366 00:15:29,610 --> 00:15:31,500 They will surely be some things 367 00:15:31,500 --> 00:15:34,200 which I would have forgotten to tell you tonight. 368 00:15:34,200 --> 00:15:35,530 But it's not important. 369 00:15:35,530 --> 00:15:36,790 You'll find it in the document. 370 00:15:36,790 --> 00:15:39,590 And then, there are things I'll have said 371 00:15:39,590 --> 00:15:41,410 that I won't have pronounced well 372 00:15:41,410 --> 00:15:43,270 or on which I won't have insisted on enough 373 00:15:43,270 --> 00:15:45,390 which you might not have understood... 374 00:15:45,390 --> 00:15:48,040 And which you will understand maybe better by reading. 375 00:15:48,040 --> 00:15:50,250 This first page 376 00:15:51,030 --> 00:15:52,480 It is a sort of summary 377 00:15:52,480 --> 00:15:55,710 of what leads me to think about this topic. 378 00:15:56,450 --> 00:15:57,840 About the solution 379 00:15:57,840 --> 00:16:05,050 the institutional solution that I plan or see 380 00:16:09,561 --> 00:16:13,561 In this first page, there is this introduction 381 00:16:13,561 --> 00:16:15,471 which I made earlier 382 00:16:15,471 --> 00:16:18,591 and which explains men have always needed power. 383 00:16:18,591 --> 00:16:21,261 Have always confronted power abuses. 384 00:16:21,261 --> 00:16:24,751 Invented in order to resist the idea of constitution. 385 00:16:24,751 --> 00:16:27,431 That a constitution is not used to organise powers, 386 00:16:27,431 --> 00:16:29,711 it is used to weaken them. 387 00:16:30,901 --> 00:16:32,991 It is used to weaken them. 388 00:16:32,991 --> 00:16:34,921 And so, in a constitution, 389 00:16:34,921 --> 00:16:37,171 if we seek to weaken the power, 390 00:16:37,171 --> 00:16:38,951 if we don't seek to destroy it, 391 00:16:38,951 --> 00:16:40,531 we need the power... 392 00:16:40,531 --> 00:16:41,941 But we seek to weaken it 393 00:16:41,941 --> 00:16:43,551 so that they don't abuse of it. 394 00:16:43,551 --> 00:16:45,961 So that our servants don't become our masters. 395 00:16:45,961 --> 00:16:48,721 So that we don't become the prey of tyrants. 396 00:16:49,507 --> 00:16:52,387 And so that the constitution does its' job 397 00:16:52,387 --> 00:16:53,967 of power weakening 398 00:16:53,974 --> 00:16:57,134 while still having itself enough power to work, 399 00:16:57,138 --> 00:16:59,468 there is a whole serie of measurements, 400 00:16:59,468 --> 00:17:02,858 rules, articles in the constitutions, 401 00:17:02,858 --> 00:17:05,335 of principles which we would like to see applied 402 00:17:05,335 --> 00:17:08,105 which I have detailed at the back of this document. 403 00:17:08,105 --> 00:17:12,105 At the back of this document, I have made a list. 404 00:17:12,105 --> 00:17:14,825 We will not have the time to work on it this evening 405 00:17:14,825 --> 00:17:15,645 Maybe later 406 00:17:15,645 --> 00:17:17,745 we will work on two, three, four points. 407 00:17:17,745 --> 00:17:19,365 Maybe points on which 408 00:17:19,365 --> 00:17:21,695 you would like... maybe during the break, 409 00:17:21,695 --> 00:17:23,385 you could have a look at it. 410 00:17:23,385 --> 00:17:25,371 If there are points on which you would like to address, 411 00:17:25,371 --> 00:17:26,661 we could deepen them. 412 00:17:26,661 --> 00:17:28,466 "But why is he talking about this?" 413 00:17:28,466 --> 00:17:30,636 or "Hey, he forgot to talk about that..." 414 00:17:30,636 --> 00:17:33,946 All of this, in my thinking process, is not closed at all. 415 00:17:33,946 --> 00:17:36,547 I am still thinking about it. 416 00:17:37,175 --> 00:17:39,895 I find ideas every day. 417 00:17:40,576 --> 00:17:43,296 I am totally open to criticism, 418 00:17:43,296 --> 00:17:45,576 to evolution, to new ideas. 419 00:17:46,975 --> 00:17:48,745 I am not at all 420 00:17:48,745 --> 00:17:52,745 describing a turn-key solution, 421 00:17:52,745 --> 00:17:54,785 a sort of new dogma or religion. 422 00:17:54,785 --> 00:17:56,435 Not at all. 423 00:17:57,003 --> 00:17:59,263 Simply, I beleive 424 00:17:59,263 --> 00:18:02,035 that I'm educating myself to 425 00:18:02,035 --> 00:18:03,795 "What is a constitution?" 426 00:18:03,795 --> 00:18:06,785 How come we are not taking care of it? 427 00:18:06,785 --> 00:18:10,077 Why is it that we have not seized it, everyone of us, 428 00:18:10,083 --> 00:18:13,383 we who consent to obey to power, 429 00:18:13,383 --> 00:18:15,703 why have we not seized this tool? 430 00:18:15,703 --> 00:18:17,803 And what should we know in this tool 431 00:18:17,803 --> 00:18:19,354 instead of neglecting it ? 432 00:18:19,354 --> 00:18:21,574 And while I am making it mine, 433 00:18:21,574 --> 00:18:23,464 as I am a teacher, I like to explain, 434 00:18:23,464 --> 00:18:24,924 well, I make the most of it ! 435 00:18:24,924 --> 00:18:26,364 Moreover, I had the chance in 2005 436 00:18:26,364 --> 00:18:28,464 to have this kind of unbelievable fame 437 00:18:28,464 --> 00:18:30,534 which came from Internet 438 00:18:30,534 --> 00:18:32,234 and of the game of the medias. 439 00:18:32,234 --> 00:18:33,624 Well, I make the most of it. 440 00:18:33,624 --> 00:18:35,214 It gives me the standing. 441 00:18:35,214 --> 00:18:36,434 So I make the most of it. 442 00:18:36,434 --> 00:18:37,804 I am discovering something. 443 00:18:37,804 --> 00:18:39,674 It seems that I am finding an idea, 444 00:18:39,674 --> 00:18:43,184 a series of ideas, which are at the same time original 445 00:18:43,188 --> 00:18:47,688 and very old, because they date of 2500 years, 446 00:18:47,688 --> 00:18:50,178 but completely buried, forgotten and brilliant. 447 00:18:50,178 --> 00:18:51,868 Really, athenians had found 448 00:18:51,868 --> 00:18:53,148 something marvellous 449 00:18:53,148 --> 00:18:55,148 to protect themselves from power thieves. 450 00:18:55,148 --> 00:18:58,422 I turning around this idea. 451 00:19:03,802 --> 00:19:06,022 Testing it with fire. 452 00:19:06,022 --> 00:19:09,202 To the fire of your critics and objections. 453 00:19:09,202 --> 00:19:10,402 To check if it holds [true]. 454 00:19:10,406 --> 00:19:12,376 That it still makes sense. 455 00:19:12,376 --> 00:19:14,788 It's not a dogma at all. 456 00:19:14,788 --> 00:19:16,008 It's an idea which is... 457 00:19:16,015 --> 00:19:18,125 Which is becoming stronger. 458 00:19:18,125 --> 00:19:25,837 You will see that the idea of real democracy 459 00:19:25,837 --> 00:19:30,247 possible and protected, by selection through lots. 460 00:19:30,262 --> 00:19:33,942 You will see that it is seducing. 461 00:19:33,942 --> 00:19:35,682 It is very promising. 462 00:19:40,449 --> 00:19:42,909 Sortition, I saw it coming. 463 00:19:42,909 --> 00:19:44,369 I will speak about it a little now, 464 00:19:44,369 --> 00:19:46,159 and a lot more at the end of the evening, 465 00:19:46,159 --> 00:19:47,819 when we will see democracy. 466 00:19:47,819 --> 00:19:48,639 How it works. 467 00:19:48,639 --> 00:19:50,299 How it worked in Athens. 468 00:19:50,299 --> 00:19:51,849 And what should we reuse? 469 00:19:51,849 --> 00:19:53,369 What can we reuse? 470 00:19:53,369 --> 00:19:55,081 We will see this more in details. 471 00:19:55,081 --> 00:19:58,881 But very quickly in fact, in 2005 472 00:20:01,871 --> 00:20:05,141 while studying the European institutions, 473 00:20:05,531 --> 00:20:06,771 I wondered 474 00:20:06,771 --> 00:20:08,731 "But how could we write 475 00:20:09,892 --> 00:20:11,572 such bad institutions, 476 00:20:11,572 --> 00:20:14,732 so unprotective for citizens?" 477 00:20:16,665 --> 00:20:19,505 Because, it will be the first part of the evening. 478 00:20:19,505 --> 00:20:22,015 We will work or I suggest we work 479 00:20:22,015 --> 00:20:26,795 on the main grievances that I find. 480 00:20:26,795 --> 00:20:30,795 It is a first stone in the debate. 481 00:20:30,795 --> 00:20:33,525 I don't mean to summarize it all. 482 00:20:33,525 --> 00:20:35,915 But what I consider like the most important 483 00:20:35,915 --> 00:20:37,915 to hold against the European institutions. 484 00:20:37,916 --> 00:20:39,566 We'll see this in not too long. 485 00:20:39,566 --> 00:20:41,806 But already, before looking at the detail, 486 00:20:41,806 --> 00:20:45,806 if you have participated to the 2005 debate, 487 00:20:45,806 --> 00:20:47,818 you will remember that there was 488 00:20:47,818 --> 00:20:49,848 a lot to say about this constitution. 489 00:20:49,848 --> 00:20:52,398 And as I was thinking, 490 00:20:52,398 --> 00:20:54,548 I was wondering... still the same 491 00:20:54,548 --> 00:20:56,538 I was looking for "the cause of causes". 492 00:20:56,538 --> 00:20:58,418 But what led us to 493 00:20:58,418 --> 00:21:01,418 texts so unprotective of men? 494 00:21:01,418 --> 00:21:03,652 So pretentious? 495 00:21:03,652 --> 00:21:05,962 Texts which pretend to protect us 496 00:21:05,962 --> 00:21:07,502 pretend to establish... 497 00:21:07,502 --> 00:21:08,562 what did they say?... 498 00:21:08,562 --> 00:21:11,452 "The highest standards of democracy" they said. 499 00:21:11,891 --> 00:21:14,651 And in the same time organised, 500 00:21:14,651 --> 00:21:16,838 in the most minor detail, 501 00:21:16,838 --> 00:21:19,097 the perfect politic powerlessness 502 00:21:19,097 --> 00:21:20,187 of every citizen 503 00:21:20,187 --> 00:21:22,827 who couldn't change a thing anymore. 504 00:21:23,949 --> 00:21:27,136 I thought : "How did we come to this?" 505 00:21:27,136 --> 00:21:29,176 In fact, by answering this question 506 00:21:29,176 --> 00:21:31,726 I answered to all the questions of the same nature 507 00:21:31,727 --> 00:21:34,347 which I could encounter at a national level as well. 508 00:21:34,347 --> 00:21:37,157 Because what we encounter at the European level, 509 00:21:37,157 --> 00:21:38,797 this political powerlessness 510 00:21:38,797 --> 00:21:40,487 which is organised in the European institutions. 511 00:21:40,487 --> 00:21:42,337 We already encounter it at a national level. 512 00:21:42,337 --> 00:21:43,787 And we encounter it... 513 00:21:43,787 --> 00:21:47,173 in almost every country of the world. 514 00:21:47,762 --> 00:21:49,762 So, is it a fatality? 515 00:21:49,762 --> 00:21:53,154 Or is there a common cause? 516 00:21:54,409 --> 00:21:56,519 Which leads us to understand why 517 00:21:56,519 --> 00:21:58,029 it always happen like this 518 00:21:58,029 --> 00:22:00,319 and which would lead us to understand 519 00:22:00,319 --> 00:22:01,889 what should we change for 520 00:22:01,889 --> 00:22:03,609 it not to always happen like this. 521 00:22:03,609 --> 00:22:05,169 And I think I found it. 522 00:22:05,169 --> 00:22:07,542 The European institutions have been written 523 00:22:07,542 --> 00:22:09,922 by ministers... and presidents. 524 00:22:12,210 --> 00:22:15,100 And we see this everywhere in the European institutions 525 00:22:15,100 --> 00:22:17,655 that it is ministers who wrote the institutions. 526 00:22:17,655 --> 00:22:20,435 In the European institutions 527 00:22:20,435 --> 00:22:24,435 legislative power is vested in 528 00:22:24,435 --> 00:22:27,165 the ministers, mainly. 529 00:22:28,383 --> 00:22:30,503 Our ministers at national level 530 00:22:30,503 --> 00:22:33,053 who take off their minister costumes 531 00:22:33,053 --> 00:22:34,925 when they leave France 532 00:22:34,925 --> 00:22:37,475 to go to the European parliament 533 00:22:37,475 --> 00:22:39,355 to go in the European institutions 534 00:22:39,356 --> 00:22:42,636 And there they put on their parliamentary costumes 535 00:22:42,640 --> 00:22:44,660 but they are ministers! 536 00:22:44,670 --> 00:22:47,869 They put their parliamentary costumes to write laws. 537 00:22:47,869 --> 00:22:49,649 The European laws. 538 00:22:49,649 --> 00:22:53,200 Which are transposed in the French law, or in national law. 539 00:22:53,200 --> 00:22:55,130 It is the same in all the countries. 540 00:22:55,130 --> 00:22:57,285 Almost mechanically, automatically. 541 00:22:57,285 --> 00:22:59,685 And then they go back in their countries, 542 00:22:59,685 --> 00:23:02,795 and they put back their ministers costumes. 543 00:23:04,295 --> 00:23:07,960 And we can see that they wrote the rules. 544 00:23:07,960 --> 00:23:12,070 We will come back on the detail 545 00:23:12,070 --> 00:23:15,210 of all the great risks in the European institutions. 546 00:23:15,210 --> 00:23:17,534 But we can see 547 00:23:17,534 --> 00:23:19,620 that it is European ministers 548 00:23:19,620 --> 00:23:21,826 who wrote the European institutions. 549 00:23:21,826 --> 00:23:24,556 In the same way that the French institutions, 550 00:23:24,556 --> 00:23:26,446 the constitution of 1958, we can see 551 00:23:26,446 --> 00:23:29,256 that it is De Gaulles [1st president of the 5th Republic] who wrote it. 552 00:23:29,256 --> 00:23:30,784 I am told: "it's Debré." 553 00:23:30,784 --> 00:23:33,644 Yes it is Debré, but Debré, he wrote it for De Gaulle. 554 00:23:33,644 --> 00:23:35,551 Lawyers, the great lawyers, 555 00:23:35,551 --> 00:23:37,201 the great teachers of public law 556 00:23:37,201 --> 00:23:39,511 who wrote apparently the institutions of the fifth republic... [wrote it for De Gaule] 557 00:23:39,511 --> 00:23:41,557 But we can see everywhere 558 00:23:41,557 --> 00:23:43,961 that the institutions of the fifth are not made 559 00:23:43,961 --> 00:23:46,011 like those of the fourth or of the third [republic]. 560 00:23:46,011 --> 00:23:48,111 They were made for the president 561 00:23:48,111 --> 00:23:51,201 who built them for himself. 562 00:23:51,201 --> 00:23:56,496 It's like this almost everywhere in the world. 563 00:23:56,496 --> 00:23:59,930 And that's why in fact... 564 00:24:01,010 --> 00:24:03,460 Men who hold power should not 565 00:24:03,460 --> 00:24:05,500 write the rules that control power. 566 00:24:05,776 --> 00:24:07,636 That's how I summarise it. 567 00:24:07,636 --> 00:24:09,076 It is with these words 568 00:24:09,076 --> 00:24:10,976 that I summarise the "heart of the heart" 569 00:24:10,976 --> 00:24:13,296 The most important thing I have to tell you. 570 00:24:13,296 --> 00:24:15,866 It seems to me that this is the cause of causes 571 00:24:15,866 --> 00:24:17,976 of our political powerlessness. 572 00:24:17,982 --> 00:24:20,652 It is that we have no constitution. 573 00:24:20,936 --> 00:24:23,286 The declaration of human rights 574 00:24:23,286 --> 00:24:26,856 which our revolutionary forefathers [wrote]. 575 00:24:27,930 --> 00:24:30,040 We need to read the constitutional debates. 576 00:24:30,040 --> 00:24:31,890 The debates that had those people 577 00:24:31,890 --> 00:24:33,630 in the moment where they freed themselves 578 00:24:33,640 --> 00:24:35,200 from the former tyranny 579 00:24:35,200 --> 00:24:36,780 and where they made a tool 580 00:24:36,780 --> 00:24:38,200 to protect themselves against tyranny. 581 00:24:38,200 --> 00:24:41,073 The thoughts, the discussions they had. 582 00:24:41,073 --> 00:24:43,243 The thoughts they had 583 00:24:43,243 --> 00:24:44,503 to protect durably 584 00:24:44,503 --> 00:24:45,753 against power abuse. 585 00:24:45,753 --> 00:24:47,733 That was the french revolution! 586 00:24:48,936 --> 00:24:52,256 There are absolutely fascinating discussions. 587 00:24:52,262 --> 00:24:54,622 And they knew very well 588 00:24:54,622 --> 00:24:56,032 that we had to weaken power. 589 00:24:56,032 --> 00:24:57,887 Montesquieu thought about it before 590 00:24:57,887 --> 00:25:01,865 and revolutionnary knew of course Montesquieu, Rousseau... 591 00:25:01,865 --> 00:25:04,045 They knew they had to divide powers 592 00:25:04,047 --> 00:25:06,577 for the power not to abuse of power. 593 00:25:06,577 --> 00:25:08,227 Montesquieu said : "We need 594 00:25:08,227 --> 00:25:09,527 power to stop power." 595 00:25:09,527 --> 00:25:11,767 Which means that we needed ... 596 00:25:11,767 --> 00:25:14,227 and Montesquieu imagined only three powers. 597 00:25:14,227 --> 00:25:15,737 He had seen: 598 00:25:15,737 --> 00:25:17,407 - those who made the laws: the parliament 599 00:25:17,407 --> 00:25:19,165 - those who execute the laws: the executives 600 00:25:19,165 --> 00:25:20,940 - and those who settle conflicts 601 00:25:20,940 --> 00:25:23,500 those who apply the rules: the judges. 602 00:25:23,500 --> 00:25:26,971 And he said, we need that those who write the laws 603 00:25:26,971 --> 00:25:30,541 the parliamentarians, do not put them in force. 604 00:25:31,131 --> 00:25:35,091 That those who put laws in application, the executives 605 00:25:35,091 --> 00:25:36,591 You shouldn't say government [in this case] 606 00:25:36,591 --> 00:25:39,031 Because if you say government, you get scammed. 607 00:25:39,031 --> 00:25:40,601 Otherwise it will do everything, it is going to write the laws. 608 00:25:40,601 --> 00:25:42,991 If [the executives] are called government, then the government holds in itself, 609 00:25:42,991 --> 00:25:45,675 the word holds in itself, the confusion of the powers. 610 00:25:45,675 --> 00:25:47,965 We shouldn't call them government. 611 00:25:47,965 --> 00:25:49,875 We shouldn't accept "one" government. 612 00:25:49,875 --> 00:25:52,405 Call it the executive. 613 00:25:52,652 --> 00:25:55,502 And you will see that the word leads you 614 00:25:55,502 --> 00:25:56,872 to be more rigorous with 615 00:25:56,872 --> 00:25:59,292 the essential principle of powers division. 616 00:25:59,292 --> 00:26:02,022 An essential principle for us to protect us from power abuse. 617 00:26:02,022 --> 00:26:03,692 So what Montesquieu said is that 618 00:26:03,692 --> 00:26:07,602 the executive executes without having the right to writing [laws]. 619 00:26:07,602 --> 00:26:08,967 Without writing... 620 00:26:09,793 --> 00:26:12,513 Because 1) if the one who writes the laws 621 00:26:12,513 --> 00:26:13,963 cannot execute them, 622 00:26:13,963 --> 00:26:15,463 2) if the one that executes the laws 623 00:26:15,463 --> 00:26:16,623 cannot write them, 624 00:26:16,623 --> 00:26:18,541 do you understand the idea? 625 00:26:18,541 --> 00:26:20,053 It is a clever idea 626 00:26:20,053 --> 00:26:22,333 to divide powers. 627 00:26:22,843 --> 00:26:24,273 Very clever! 628 00:26:24,273 --> 00:26:26,983 It allows, for a constitutional structure, 629 00:26:26,983 --> 00:26:30,674 in the superior law structure, 630 00:26:30,674 --> 00:26:32,084 of the right of law, 631 00:26:32,084 --> 00:26:34,204 above those who will make the law, 632 00:26:34,204 --> 00:26:38,204 it allows for our protection. 633 00:26:38,204 --> 00:26:42,084 Because nobody has all the powers for himself. 634 00:26:43,304 --> 00:26:45,424 And then Montesquieu continued 635 00:26:45,429 --> 00:26:48,949 saying that judges must be independant 636 00:26:48,949 --> 00:26:50,669 from the two other powers 637 00:26:50,669 --> 00:26:52,379 to be able to apply the laws. 638 00:26:52,379 --> 00:26:55,379 Therefore, for the law to be applied 639 00:26:55,379 --> 00:26:59,379 It had to be that the one who writes the laws 640 00:26:59,379 --> 00:27:01,309 agrees with the one who executes the laws 641 00:27:01,309 --> 00:27:05,349 and agrees with the one who applies them: the judge. 642 00:27:05,349 --> 00:27:08,831 We would be well sheltered 643 00:27:08,831 --> 00:27:10,931 against power abuse if we do that. 644 00:27:10,931 --> 00:27:13,768 What the revolutionnaries said 645 00:27:13,768 --> 00:27:16,168 in the declaration of human rights 646 00:27:16,168 --> 00:27:22,464 is that: "A nation which does not divide powers 647 00:27:22,464 --> 00:27:24,821 doesn't have a constitution." 648 00:27:24,821 --> 00:27:27,265 It is the article 16. 649 00:27:27,265 --> 00:27:31,245 A nation which doesn't divide powers 650 00:27:31,245 --> 00:27:33,495 does not have a constitution. 651 00:27:33,495 --> 00:27:35,201 We cannot be clearer! 652 00:27:35,201 --> 00:27:37,651 It means that if we pretend to having one, it's false. 653 00:27:37,651 --> 00:27:40,091 And it's true... I believe it is true! 654 00:27:40,091 --> 00:27:42,248 I will even say better for today. 655 00:27:42,251 --> 00:27:45,271 In the twenty first century we can push a little further, 656 00:27:45,271 --> 00:27:46,951 we can think further, 657 00:27:46,951 --> 00:27:51,637 and say : "A constitution which does not protect us well 658 00:27:51,637 --> 00:27:55,598 - either because of the undivided powers 659 00:27:55,598 --> 00:27:57,368 or because of something else - 660 00:27:57,374 --> 00:27:59,914 a constitution which does not protect us well 661 00:27:59,914 --> 00:28:01,714 against power abuses 662 00:28:01,714 --> 00:28:03,376 is not a constitution! 663 00:28:03,376 --> 00:28:06,086 Because its job, its reason of existance 664 00:28:06,086 --> 00:28:10,266 Because a constitution is used only for that! 665 00:28:10,266 --> 00:28:12,142 To protect us all, 666 00:28:12,142 --> 00:28:14,172 the rich, the poor, the young, the old, everyone 667 00:28:14,172 --> 00:28:16,032 to protect us against power abuse. 668 00:28:16,032 --> 00:28:17,982 As the definition itself 669 00:28:17,982 --> 00:28:19,792 the essence of a constitution 670 00:28:19,792 --> 00:28:21,922 is to protect us from power abuse. 671 00:28:21,922 --> 00:28:23,362 If it doesn't do its job 672 00:28:23,362 --> 00:28:25,262 it is not a constitution! 673 00:28:25,262 --> 00:28:29,097 Or it's a bad constitution 674 00:28:31,184 --> 00:28:35,184 From this point of view, the fifth [republic] is really bad. 675 00:28:35,184 --> 00:28:36,954 It is a bad constitution 676 00:28:36,954 --> 00:28:39,474 and the European constitution is bad too! 677 00:28:39,474 --> 00:28:41,454 We can talk about it in details. 678 00:28:41,454 --> 00:28:43,004 I am starting from the end 679 00:28:43,004 --> 00:28:44,464 by telling you the conclusion. 680 00:28:44,464 --> 00:28:47,564 It's not well but we can have a look... 681 00:28:48,064 --> 00:28:51,214 Article by article, almost. 682 00:28:51,952 --> 00:28:54,722 So it is in fact the meaning of the document 683 00:28:54,722 --> 00:28:57,732 the back of the first document that I am talking about, 684 00:28:57,732 --> 00:29:00,503 consists in saying : "let's see where we stand... 685 00:29:00,503 --> 00:29:02,603 what do we expect from a constitution?" 686 00:29:02,607 --> 00:29:04,367 By which mechanical ways, 687 00:29:04,367 --> 00:29:05,827 which legal ways, 688 00:29:05,827 --> 00:29:07,777 A constitution protects me? 689 00:29:07,777 --> 00:29:09,983 "Protects me", I am not talking about me obviously 690 00:29:09,994 --> 00:29:12,044 I talk in a general way, as "me citizen" 691 00:29:12,044 --> 00:29:15,215 By which means a constitution protects me? 692 00:29:15,215 --> 00:29:19,215 The parliament ... "Is above others" 693 00:29:19,215 --> 00:29:21,725 "The voting system secures a majority" 694 00:29:21,725 --> 00:29:24,065 "The voting system gives a place to the minority" 695 00:29:24,065 --> 00:29:26,375 "Some seats are reserved...." 696 00:29:26,375 --> 00:29:28,785 So you will see, in there, that 697 00:29:28,785 --> 00:29:30,485 some things are a little unorthodox 698 00:29:30,485 --> 00:29:31,935 because, when I say "Some seats 699 00:29:31,935 --> 00:29:33,895 of every organs are reserved 700 00:29:33,895 --> 00:29:35,995 to sorted citizens," 701 00:29:38,936 --> 00:29:42,416 Every single line could deserve to be studied. 702 00:29:42,416 --> 00:29:44,686 If I start digging into this, 703 00:29:44,687 --> 00:29:46,937 it is going to be too long and it mustn't be. 704 00:29:46,937 --> 00:29:49,200 But what I wanted, I did a table there 705 00:29:49,200 --> 00:29:51,610 with, to the right, some boxes to tick 706 00:29:51,610 --> 00:29:54,360 and when I examinate my constitution : I tick 707 00:29:54,360 --> 00:29:56,320 Do I have it? Or not? 708 00:29:56,320 --> 00:29:58,647 And then I tick yes/no, yes/no, yes/no 709 00:29:58,647 --> 00:30:02,647 And for the fifth, I have very few "yes" 710 00:30:02,647 --> 00:30:04,747 very very few, there is almost only "no" 711 00:30:04,747 --> 00:30:07,197 and for European institutions, I only have "no" 712 00:30:07,197 --> 00:30:08,995 virtually only "no".... 713 00:30:08,995 --> 00:30:11,115 There is no respect for blank vote... 714 00:30:11,115 --> 00:30:13,445 There is no referendum of popular initiative 715 00:30:13,445 --> 00:30:15,445 There is no power division 716 00:30:15,445 --> 00:30:17,205 There is no... etc, etc... 717 00:30:17,220 --> 00:30:19,430 Judges are not independant. 718 00:30:19,430 --> 00:30:21,296 Every single one of these points... 719 00:30:21,296 --> 00:30:23,646 If you want, when we talk about democracy 720 00:30:23,646 --> 00:30:25,675 When we talk about democracy... 721 00:30:25,675 --> 00:30:28,275 When we talk about constitution... 722 00:30:28,629 --> 00:30:30,539 I do not just say words. 723 00:30:30,539 --> 00:30:31,869 It's not enough to say: 724 00:30:31,869 --> 00:30:35,869 " European institutions are the highest standard of democracy". 725 00:30:35,869 --> 00:30:38,449 I go check inside the European institutions 726 00:30:38,449 --> 00:30:39,819 to see tangibly 727 00:30:39,819 --> 00:30:41,459 what is the apparatus 728 00:30:41,459 --> 00:30:44,362 which allows to say "it is a democracy". 729 00:30:44,362 --> 00:30:48,482 However, for me, democracy, I don't know for you... 730 00:30:48,482 --> 00:30:50,962 It's a debate but for me it is "demos kratos." 731 00:30:50,962 --> 00:30:52,262 The power of the people. 732 00:30:52,262 --> 00:30:54,222 So, the people should have the power. 733 00:30:54,223 --> 00:30:56,253 People should exercise the power. 734 00:30:56,253 --> 00:30:58,278 Democracy : people exercise power. 735 00:30:58,278 --> 00:31:02,278 And at least, there is none 736 00:31:02,278 --> 00:31:04,498 on earth, there is none 737 00:31:04,498 --> 00:31:06,208 very few, maybe... Switzerland 738 00:31:06,208 --> 00:31:09,068 And still, not even, in Switzerland there are parlementaries 739 00:31:09,068 --> 00:31:11,468 So there is no country in the world for now 740 00:31:11,468 --> 00:31:16,368 where the people writes himself directly his laws. 741 00:31:18,947 --> 00:31:21,767 In most of [political] regimes, 742 00:31:22,645 --> 00:31:24,385 and we will see it later, 743 00:31:24,385 --> 00:31:25,565 most regimes 744 00:31:25,565 --> 00:31:26,955 are not democracies. 745 00:31:26,959 --> 00:31:28,789 They are representative governments 746 00:31:28,789 --> 00:31:30,259 And you will see, as we talk about it, 747 00:31:30,259 --> 00:31:31,879 I will explain the history 748 00:31:31,879 --> 00:31:32,684 and this is very important 749 00:31:32,684 --> 00:31:34,894 to understand the regimes we have. 750 00:31:34,894 --> 00:31:36,464 The story of our regimes. 751 00:31:36,464 --> 00:31:40,583 What did the people who instituted our regimes want? 752 00:31:40,583 --> 00:31:42,793 They didn't want to make a democracy, not at all. 753 00:31:42,793 --> 00:31:44,373 They knew very well what was a democracy. 754 00:31:44,373 --> 00:31:45,753 They didn't want it at all. 755 00:31:45,753 --> 00:31:47,363 So it is normal that we are not in democracy. 756 00:31:47,363 --> 00:31:50,519 It was not wished for at all from the beginning. 757 00:31:50,519 --> 00:31:55,589 Sieyès, a great thinker of french revolution 758 00:31:55,589 --> 00:31:58,149 wrote one day: " What is the third estate?" 759 00:31:58,149 --> 00:32:02,329 One of the notables who followed all the french revolution 760 00:32:02,329 --> 00:32:05,195 until Thermidor... 761 00:32:05,551 --> 00:32:09,551 He was someone who didn't want.... it is written black on white! 762 00:32:09,551 --> 00:32:10,953 "There is no way that..." 763 00:32:10,953 --> 00:32:12,773 In one of the documents that I'll hand out 764 00:32:12,773 --> 00:32:14,353 there is the full quote 765 00:32:14,353 --> 00:32:16,626 "There is no way that France shall become a democracy" 766 00:32:16,626 --> 00:32:19,486 It is not going to be it, we are not making a democracy 767 00:32:19,486 --> 00:32:22,002 People is not able to write himself the laws 768 00:32:22,002 --> 00:32:24,442 People will designate his representatives 769 00:32:24,442 --> 00:32:27,862 who will write the laws in its stead and that's all! 770 00:32:28,693 --> 00:32:30,743 Well, this is not a democracy. 771 00:32:30,743 --> 00:32:33,253 It is something else, it's an artistocracy 772 00:32:33,253 --> 00:32:35,000 it's the government by the best. 773 00:32:35,000 --> 00:32:37,550 If we manage to put the best of the best in power 774 00:32:37,550 --> 00:32:38,560 it's an aristocracy. 775 00:32:38,560 --> 00:32:40,500 But, if they are not the best of the best, it is going to be an oligarchy. 776 00:32:40,500 --> 00:32:42,110 But in any way, it is not a democracy! 777 00:32:42,110 --> 00:32:44,610 And this is really our topic of later on. 778 00:32:44,610 --> 00:32:46,500 So I close this parenthesis 779 00:32:46,500 --> 00:32:54,450 to stay in the scheme of the first part of european union 780 00:32:57,302 --> 00:33:00,922 So, to finish this introduction 781 00:33:00,922 --> 00:33:04,922 the reflexion on the european institutions in 2005 782 00:33:04,922 --> 00:33:06,662 led me immediately 783 00:33:06,662 --> 00:33:08,330 to [write] the first document. 784 00:33:08,330 --> 00:33:11,130 The one that toured France and also a little around the world. 785 00:33:11,130 --> 00:33:13,770 I wrote my conclusion: 786 00:33:13,770 --> 00:33:19,590 "If such bad institutions have been written, 787 00:33:19,590 --> 00:33:23,327 it is because those who wrote them 788 00:33:23,327 --> 00:33:25,087 shouldn't have done so. 789 00:33:25,087 --> 00:33:27,027 It should not have been them writing the constitutions. 790 00:33:27,027 --> 00:33:29,446 It should not have been them writing the institutions. 791 00:33:29,446 --> 00:33:31,236 They were judges and jury. 792 00:33:31,236 --> 00:33:33,056 They were in a situation of conflict of interests. 793 00:33:33,056 --> 00:33:35,276 They were writing the rules for themselves. 794 00:33:35,480 --> 00:33:38,560 And there, I am on the "cause of causes". 795 00:33:38,561 --> 00:33:40,933 I am on the first cause of causes. 796 00:33:40,933 --> 00:33:43,659 If you let, if we let, the constitutions be written 797 00:33:43,659 --> 00:33:46,179 by exactly those who should fear them; 798 00:33:46,196 --> 00:33:49,206 If we let the constitution be written 799 00:33:49,206 --> 00:33:52,686 by those who should fear constitution; 800 00:33:54,146 --> 00:33:56,696 It is easy to understand 801 00:33:56,696 --> 00:34:00,745 these people will not, write rules which will hinder them 802 00:34:00,745 --> 00:34:03,821 burden them, keep them under control, threaten them 803 00:34:03,821 --> 00:34:04,931 put them at risk 804 00:34:04,931 --> 00:34:06,801 make them "accountable for" 805 00:34:06,802 --> 00:34:08,522 make them responsible of their acts. 806 00:34:08,522 --> 00:34:10,862 These people... But I am not angry at them 807 00:34:10,862 --> 00:34:13,312 I don't say they are horrible people. 808 00:34:13,312 --> 00:34:15,907 This is something important. 809 00:34:15,907 --> 00:34:21,508 Under the law, a judge has to give justice. 810 00:34:21,508 --> 00:34:24,520 But, when in a court case, 811 00:34:24,520 --> 00:34:27,319 he is from the same family of the victim 812 00:34:27,319 --> 00:34:31,319 or of the detained or the accused, 813 00:34:31,319 --> 00:34:33,969 he is recused / disqualified. 814 00:34:33,969 --> 00:34:36,182 And this isn't an issue. 815 00:34:36,182 --> 00:34:37,192 That's how it is 816 00:34:37,192 --> 00:34:39,222 in all the countries of the world obviously. 817 00:34:39,222 --> 00:34:40,852 And everyone understands 818 00:34:40,852 --> 00:34:43,152 that we are not saying this judge is dishonest. 819 00:34:43,152 --> 00:34:45,952 Not at all! When we disqualify a judge 820 00:34:45,952 --> 00:34:47,742 because he is from the same family 821 00:34:47,742 --> 00:34:50,272 of the victim or the accused, 822 00:34:50,272 --> 00:34:52,345 it is not because he is dishonest. 823 00:34:52,345 --> 00:34:55,705 It is because, he cannot, in this very situation, 824 00:34:55,705 --> 00:34:57,015 he cannot be honest. 825 00:34:57,015 --> 00:34:59,783 But we don't say this guy there is dishonest, not at all! 826 00:34:59,783 --> 00:35:01,656 In fact, the judge is disqualified 827 00:35:01,656 --> 00:35:03,756 and he is not upset about it. 828 00:35:03,756 --> 00:35:05,499 There is no issue. 829 00:35:05,499 --> 00:35:07,810 He is in a situation of conflict of interests 830 00:35:07,810 --> 00:35:09,890 so he cannot judge! 831 00:35:11,088 --> 00:35:16,048 Well, parliamentaries, ministers, judges, 832 00:35:16,048 --> 00:35:18,178 all the ones who have a power; 833 00:35:18,178 --> 00:35:21,408 instituted, established in the institutions 834 00:35:21,408 --> 00:35:23,478 and even those who haven't got it yet 835 00:35:23,478 --> 00:35:25,928 this power, but want this power; 836 00:35:25,928 --> 00:35:27,908 all those who are in political parties; 837 00:35:27,908 --> 00:35:30,498 all those who are in political parties; 838 00:35:30,498 --> 00:35:32,548 who are candidates to this power; 839 00:35:32,550 --> 00:35:34,190 so they look ahead 840 00:35:34,190 --> 00:35:36,440 they know they will, one day, be in power 841 00:35:36,440 --> 00:35:39,060 Those people are in a situation... 842 00:35:39,060 --> 00:35:41,590 I'm absolutly not saying that they are dishonest 843 00:35:41,590 --> 00:35:44,420 please listen carefully so that there is no misunderstanding. 844 00:35:44,420 --> 00:35:45,730 As it was for the judge, 845 00:35:45,730 --> 00:35:47,880 I don't say these people are dishonest, not at all. 846 00:35:47,880 --> 00:35:49,130 I say these people... 847 00:35:49,130 --> 00:35:51,560 we need them, we need people who will exercise power 848 00:35:51,560 --> 00:35:54,250 But they shouldn't write the constitution! 849 00:35:54,250 --> 00:35:57,790 It is not to them to write the rule they should fear 850 00:35:57,790 --> 00:36:00,530 and which will stop them from abusing of the power 851 00:36:00,530 --> 00:36:03,720 and transform themselves from servants to masters 852 00:36:03,725 --> 00:36:06,245 They cannot write the rule 853 00:36:06,245 --> 00:36:10,236 which will stop them from becoming our absolute tyrannical masters. 854 00:36:10,236 --> 00:36:12,406 It needs to be other people. 855 00:36:12,406 --> 00:36:15,316 Others than people from parties 856 00:36:15,316 --> 00:36:16,876 and who have the power 857 00:36:16,876 --> 00:36:18,063 or who want it... 858 00:36:18,072 --> 00:36:20,952 How will you do to designate them? 859 00:36:23,577 --> 00:36:24,967 We will talk about it later. 860 00:36:24,967 --> 00:36:26,357 But I can give you 861 00:36:26,357 --> 00:36:27,397 a feeling of it 862 00:36:27,397 --> 00:36:29,107 so that you have the idea in mind. 863 00:36:29,113 --> 00:36:31,643 It is important that you see where I am going. 864 00:36:31,643 --> 00:36:33,165 The golden thread. 865 00:36:33,165 --> 00:36:34,720 My train of thoughts. 866 00:36:34,720 --> 00:36:37,750 I try to find an honest constituant process 867 00:36:37,750 --> 00:36:40,450 disinterested, without conflict of interests. 868 00:36:40,450 --> 00:36:42,810 So for now, today 869 00:36:42,810 --> 00:36:45,650 I am thinking about sorting the constituant assembly. 870 00:36:45,650 --> 00:36:46,820 So maybe you'll find 871 00:36:46,820 --> 00:36:48,530 a better idea, I'm all for it! 872 00:36:48,536 --> 00:36:51,686 I am not looking into sortition, just because it is sortition. 873 00:36:51,686 --> 00:36:52,606 I don't care 874 00:36:52,606 --> 00:36:54,337 If I get a better idea, I'll take that one. 875 00:36:54,337 --> 00:36:58,558 I am looking for [the good idea], and it seems to me that we should all be looking for it. 876 00:36:58,558 --> 00:37:00,238 The problem is that 877 00:37:00,238 --> 00:37:01,428 Noone cares for the moment. 878 00:37:01,428 --> 00:37:03,228 That is the folly, the cause of causes 879 00:37:03,228 --> 00:37:05,338 is our carelessness, our ignorance, 880 00:37:05,338 --> 00:37:07,886 it's the fact that we don't care at all about constitution 881 00:37:07,886 --> 00:37:10,381 and constituant process we care even less 882 00:37:10,381 --> 00:37:13,221 In Tunis, in Tunisia today, they are voting 883 00:37:13,221 --> 00:37:15,891 for a constituant assembly 884 00:37:15,891 --> 00:37:19,880 Just to smile, I'll play the devils' advocate. 885 00:37:19,880 --> 00:37:22,260 And if I'm wrong, I'll be the fool. 886 00:37:22,750 --> 00:37:24,150 I can predicte that 887 00:37:24,150 --> 00:37:27,590 the constituant which will be elected today 888 00:37:29,430 --> 00:37:31,850 will not establish a democracy. 889 00:37:32,500 --> 00:37:34,300 For the same reasons which forbid 890 00:37:34,300 --> 00:37:38,507 real democracies to become reality. 891 00:37:39,078 --> 00:37:40,798 Everywhere in the world, 892 00:37:40,798 --> 00:37:42,971 if you let men in power write themselves 893 00:37:42,971 --> 00:37:44,741 the rules of their own power: 894 00:37:44,741 --> 00:37:47,431 they will not write the power to the people. 895 00:37:47,431 --> 00:37:49,751 And I can't be upset at them. 896 00:37:49,751 --> 00:37:53,751 It's normal... They won't commit hara-kiri 897 00:37:53,751 --> 00:37:55,881 They wont... They look ahead 898 00:37:55,885 --> 00:37:58,215 they have a vision of the greater good. 899 00:37:58,215 --> 00:38:00,395 It's very well, they are very virtuous. 900 00:38:00,395 --> 00:38:03,510 But when they are writing the rules: 901 00:38:03,510 --> 00:38:07,510 "Should we tally and put into force blank votes?" 902 00:38:07,510 --> 00:38:09,685 The possibility to kick us out 903 00:38:09,685 --> 00:38:11,645 during an election, for the people to say "no". 904 00:38:11,645 --> 00:38:13,045 I don't want As, Bs nor Cs 905 00:38:13,045 --> 00:38:14,095 I want them all to go home. 906 00:38:14,095 --> 00:38:15,375 "Should we respect the use of the blank vote?" 907 00:38:15,375 --> 00:38:17,195 "Oh well... no it's not worth the trouble, the blank vote..." 908 00:38:17,195 --> 00:38:18,525 will say parliamentaries. 909 00:38:18,525 --> 00:38:20,955 They will say: "No, it's not worth it..." 910 00:38:20,956 --> 00:38:23,006 No, the blank vote... the blank vote, no... 911 00:38:23,006 --> 00:38:25,796 no there surely is something more important to do in the constitution 912 00:38:25,796 --> 00:38:27,694 and they will focus on something else! 913 00:38:27,694 --> 00:38:29,234 Who wrote the rule stating 914 00:38:29,234 --> 00:38:31,634 a blank vote is equal to "not voted"? 915 00:38:31,634 --> 00:38:34,678 It is not simple citizens who wrote that. It's impossible! 916 00:38:34,678 --> 00:38:36,908 It is not simple citizens who said "Blank votes..." 917 00:38:36,908 --> 00:38:38,198 Do you know what is the blank vote? 918 00:38:38,200 --> 00:38:39,990 White vote is a vote of protest. 919 00:38:40,000 --> 00:38:41,980 A vote which says : "Wait a minute, those there.... 920 00:38:41,980 --> 00:38:43,190 they are all villains!" 921 00:38:43,190 --> 00:38:44,500 These are all people who are bad. 922 00:38:44,500 --> 00:38:46,730 There are all people I have already seen lying to me. 923 00:38:46,733 --> 00:38:48,923 people who already reneged on their promises. 924 00:38:48,923 --> 00:38:51,513 Or people who, for this or this reason, no matter.. 925 00:38:51,513 --> 00:38:52,911 I want noone of them! 926 00:38:52,911 --> 00:38:54,210 I want them all to go away. 927 00:38:54,210 --> 00:38:55,380 I would like to put others instead. 928 00:38:55,380 --> 00:38:56,631 That's the meaning of a blank vote. 929 00:38:56,631 --> 00:38:57,661 The blank vote is a vote of protest. 930 00:38:57,674 --> 00:38:59,424 Blank vote is an affirmative vote. 931 00:38:59,424 --> 00:39:01,324 It is not a vote of carelessness. 932 00:39:01,324 --> 00:39:03,164 Blank vote is not a mistake at all. 933 00:39:03,164 --> 00:39:05,950 Blank vote is not an abstention. 934 00:39:05,950 --> 00:39:09,318 Blank vote is a very engaged vote! 935 00:39:09,318 --> 00:39:13,448 Which says "I am not happy at all with the candidates you are suggesting" 936 00:39:13,448 --> 00:39:14,848 I want others! 937 00:39:14,848 --> 00:39:17,016 Or if you ask me stupid questions 938 00:39:17,016 --> 00:39:18,896 it's a vote which says " Please ask me other questions, 939 00:39:18,896 --> 00:39:20,516 this one is stupid!" 940 00:39:20,516 --> 00:39:23,951 A blank vote is truely very important, 941 00:39:26,153 --> 00:39:28,263 Well, I won't open this parenthesis. 942 00:39:28,263 --> 00:39:29,863 I was going to talk to you about ostracism 943 00:39:29,863 --> 00:39:31,093 which was a way for athenians 944 00:39:31,093 --> 00:39:32,403 to say "I don't want this one!" 945 00:39:32,424 --> 00:39:34,944 A way of saying... It looks a little like the white vote 946 00:39:34,944 --> 00:39:37,214 It was a way, an institution, 947 00:39:37,214 --> 00:39:39,254 which allowed for people to say 948 00:39:39,254 --> 00:39:41,784 not only what I want, but also what I don't want. 949 00:39:41,784 --> 00:39:43,534 I will talk later maybe about it. 950 00:39:43,534 --> 00:39:45,134 Anyway, what does, 951 00:39:45,134 --> 00:39:47,934 what leads a constituant 952 00:39:47,934 --> 00:39:49,784 someone who wrote a constitution 953 00:39:49,784 --> 00:39:52,274 what leads him not to respect a blank vote 954 00:39:52,274 --> 00:39:54,794 and mix it with null votes? 955 00:39:56,434 --> 00:40:00,434 And this, this is just one of the 50 points which build a constitution. 956 00:40:00,434 --> 00:40:02,664 The respect of the blank vote. 957 00:40:03,673 --> 00:40:09,033 A parliamentary, a minister will mix a white vote with the nulls. 958 00:40:09,033 --> 00:40:11,764 He will mix it with the "not voted". 959 00:40:11,764 --> 00:40:15,764 He will do it because it is in his interest. 960 00:40:15,764 --> 00:40:18,244 Because there is a personnal interest 961 00:40:18,248 --> 00:40:20,388 to avoid people from being able to kick him out 962 00:40:20,388 --> 00:40:21,968 when an election comes around. 963 00:40:21,968 --> 00:40:25,053 So, there isn't... I am not even upset at him. 964 00:40:25,053 --> 00:40:30,491 Understand me, he shouldn't be the one writing the constition.