Yaël Braun-Pivet, president of France's National Assembly, said she has been overwhelmed by criticism of her project to renovate the entrance pavilion of the Assembly, speaking to France Info on Friday, August 7, 2026.
Braun-Pivet told France Info she felt overwhelmed by criticism flying at a project that people do not actually understand, and said the work would go ahead.
What the project involves
For the past two years, the president of the Palais Bourbon has been pushing for a larger, more contemporary building to replace the current entrance pavilion, which was built in 1888. The project was suspended in 2025 for administrative reasons.
The Paris Council later issued a favorable opinion on changes to urban planning rules around the Palais Bourbon at the end of July 2026, which allowed the project to move forward again. The renovation is meant mainly to make it easier to welcome visitors, and it is estimated to cost close to 53 million euros.
Criticism from politicians and public figures
The cost, at a difficult time for France's finances, along with objections to the building's design, has drawn criticism from a number of political and public figures, including Ségolène Royal and Joey Starr.
National Rally lawmakers Hélène Laporte and Sébastien Chenu, both vice presidents of the Assembly, have called for a meeting of the Assembly's governing body to reconsider the project, which they say was drawn up without transparency, France Info reported.
The association Sites et Monuments has also launched a petition against the project, which has gathered 90,000 signatures.
Millions already spent
Contacted by France Info, Braun-Pivet said the project would continue despite the backlash. The broadcaster reported that several million euros had already been spent on it.
