On Thursday January 30, 2025, the amphitheater at HEIP Bordeaux was alive with passionate speeches and tight negotiations.
For one day, students abandoned their status as learners to take on the role of members of parliament, as part of a full-scale parliamentary simulation.
What was at stake? Debate and vote on a bill dedicated to “the defense and promotion of French secularism”, drafted by one of the students.
This immersive educational experience brought together 19 participants, divided into parliamentary groups representing the main French political forces: La France insoumise, the Parti Socialiste, Renaissance, Les Républicains and the Rassemblement National. The classroom, transformed into the National Assembly for the duration of the experience, saw a succession of impassioned speeches, strategic negotiations and decisive amendments.
The session began with a presentation of the bill by the party behind it. Each parliamentary group then took the floor to state its position and defend its ideas in an opening speech. Then it was time for debate.
Article by article, the students followed a rigorous process: presentation of content, discussion, proposed amendments, and finally voting. The stakes were high: to arrive at a final legislative text, the fruit of compromise and the interplay of political alliances.
More than just an exercise in eloquence, this parliamentary simulation enabled students to come face to face with the reality of institutional debates and deepen their understanding of the workings of the legislative process. In the course of the discussions, they were able to explore the complexity of applying the principle of secularism in contemporary society, and the challenges it raises in terms of individual freedoms and the separation of powers.
The intense and captivating experience finally came to a close with the final vote, a solemn and decisive moment that consecrated, with reinforced legitimacy, a bill carefully enriched and refined thanks to the judicious integration of the most relevant and constructive amendments, rigorously selected over the course of in-depth deliberations.
This immersive, engaging and highly formative experience held the attention of all its participants, awakening their curiosity, stimulating their critical thinking and consolidating their active involvement in the in-depth, methodical exploration of the workings of our democratic institutions.
The parliamentary debate team: APH BORDEAUX
To ensure the success of this event, it was essential to build a solid, committed team.
Under the co-chairmanship of Lise Romera and Pauline Romero, APH Bordeaux orchestrated this simulation with rigor and passion.
Maxime Mikhaïlov, General Secretary, was responsible for coordination between the various divisions, ensuring the smooth running of the event.
Léa Guaragnini, Treasurer, took charge of financing the speakers and ensuring that every expense was optimally managed.
Audrey Bascle, Communications Manager, played a key role in promoting the debate and managing communications before and during the event. Lucas Mazières took charge of the Instagram account, while Sarah Lanni handled communication on LinkedIn.
Flavian Oursel, Event Manager, was in charge of logistics and the smooth running of the day. He was assisted by Léa Guaragnini and Elena Haouret, who helped organize and coordinate the event.
A committed and passionate team, who made this parliamentary simulation a real success, living up to the ambitions of APH Bordeaux and HEIP.
Lise Romera, Maxime Mikhaïlov, Pauline Romero, Sarah Lanni, Lucas Mazières, Audrey Bascle, Léa Guaragnini,Flavian Oursel, Elena Haouret.
Editor:
Lucas Mazières
Bachelor 1 “Relations Internationales & Sciences Politiques”, HEIP Bordeaux I Community manager at APH Bordeaux.
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Affaires Publiques Bordeaux is a young, dynamic association on the Bordeaux campus, dedicated to helping people discover a world that is often unknown to the general public: French and European public affairs.
Our aim is to make public affairs accessible and understandable to high school students, political science and international relations students, and anyone else interested in the field. We also aim to shed light on the professions associated with public affairs, explaining how institutions work, and the relationships between the state, the public and the private sector.
In short, we want to offer a fresh perspective on politics and inform young people about current events in France and Europe.