The French Senate is becoming more right-leaning, with a growing focus on policies that are seen as anti-ecological, according to recent reports. Historically, the Senate has been dominated by conservative lawmakers, and in recent years, it has pushed for measures that favor the destruction of wetlands, the reintroduction of two banned pesticides, and the possibility of ignoring scientific research on water resources. These policies were included in an agricultural emergency law passed during a severe heatwave and drought this summer. Senator Laurent Duplomb, who was responsible for the law, made a controversial comment suggesting that the extreme summer heat was due to natural climate variability rather than climate change, a claim that has been criticized as false by some experts. The upcoming senatorial elections, scheduled for Sunday, September 27, will see half of the Senate’s seats renewed, with nearly 94,000 voters participating. This election is considered a pivotal moment for France’s environmental policies, as it could strengthen the influence of the far-right National Rally (RN) and solidify the right-wing majority, which has a history of opposing ecological reforms. Environmental groups have observed a noticeable shift in the Senate's approach to ecological issues, with some members now taking a more dismissive stance toward environmental concerns. Morgane Piederrière, head of advocacy at France Nature Environnement, said that previously, even though the Senate was known to be conservative, it was still possible to have meaningful discussions using data and field reports. Now, she says, the focus is more on simplification and less on substantive debate. Guillaume Gontard, a leader of the ecologist group in the Senate, noted that it used to be possible to pass amendments, but now, opposition proposals are often ignored or not even discussed. Several bills introduced by the Senate reflect its conservative priorities. These include the Gremillet bill on energy, which favors nuclear power over renewable sources, and the Laurent Duplomb bill on agriculture, which was passed in late 2024. In November 2024, Senator Jean-Baptiste Blanc proposed the Trace bill, which aimed to weaken a key environmental target from the 2021 Climate and Resilience law. In March 2025, two senators from the Tarn region introduced a bill seeking to bypass legal rulings that had halted the construction of the A69 highway. These bills have been consistently supported by the majority Les Républicains, as well as various right-wing and centrist groups. The Macronist group, the Rassemblement des Démocrates, has also backed these proposals. In contrast, the ecologists have consistently opposed them, while the socialists and communists have had more varied positions on specific issues. In early 2026, the Senate passed a bill to restart oil and gas exploration in France’s overseas territories. Budget sessions have also been used to push for reduced funding for ecological initiatives or even the elimination of environmental agencies. In January 2025, the President of the Senate, Gérard Larcher, criticized the Agency for the Ecological Transition (Ademe), a move echoed by other officials like Valérie Pécresse and Laurent Wauquiez. A week later, senators voted to eliminate the operating funds of the Bio Agency, though the decision was narrowly reversed. The ongoing effort to reduce the number of state agencies has continued through new legislation, with the Senate also inserting its own proposals into government bills, such as the agricultural emergency law, which included provisions for reauthorizing two neonicotinoid pesticides. The political landscape shifted in June 2024 with the dissolution of the National Assembly and the appointment of Michel Barnier, a member of the Les Républicains (LR) party, as first minister. Guillaume Gontard noted that LR senators felt emboldened by this change. François Bayrou, who became Prime Minister in January 2025, did not ease tensions, as he criticized environmental agencies in his policy speech. Despite the overall anti-ecological trend, the Senate has passed a few environmental measures, such as a tax on polluting activities targeting disposable and non-recyclable products in the 2025 financial bill and an increase in the tax on gas boiler consumption, which would help offset the cancellation of an electricity tax increase. The lack of a clear majority in the National Assembly since the 2024 dissolution has given the Senate more influence, allowing it to play a stronger role in shaping legislation. Many laws are now reviewed by mixed parity commissions, which include both senators and deputies. In these commissions, right-wing senators often find enough support among deputies, particularly from the National Rally and other right-wing factions in the Assembly. The evolution of Senator Laurent Duplomb within the Senate symbolizes this shift. Once an embarrassment to other right-wing senators, Duplomb now leads his own bill and has become a key figure in shaping the agricultural policies of the Les Républicains.