On 16 September 2026 at 14:33, Yaël Braun-Pivet, the president of the National Assembly, announced the continuation of a project to build new public reception spaces in the Palais Bourbon, responding to public criticism. The project has drawn a petition signed by over 150,000 people, who want it canceled. Braun-Pivet stated that the project was unanimously approved by the Assembly’s Bureau in September 2024 and described it as a "project of general interest, public interest, 100% directed toward our citizens." The plan involves replacing the current reception pavilion with a contemporary-style building, addressing concerns about accessibility and the need for modern facilities. The project, launched in 2022, has faced strong opposition from heritage protection groups. Critics argue that the new building’s design is unattractive and that the estimated cost of 52.8 million euros is too high. A petition titled No to the uglification of Paris by the National Assembly has gathered more than 150,000 signatures and was widely shared on social media by Sébastien Chenu, a vice-president of the Assembly from the Rassemblement national party. Opponents question whether the project is necessary, given the growing number of visitors to the Palais Bourbon, which has doubled in ten years to 200,000 annual visitors. Braun-Pivet defended the project, stating that the need for updated public reception spaces was recognized as early as 1980 by the Assembly’s Bureau. She pointed out that the current reception areas are outdated, small, and not accessible to people with reduced mobility. She also emphasized that the funds allocated for the project are not being used for the deputies’ personal needs. In response to accusations that she is acting unilaterally, Braun-Pivet explained that the Bureau had unanimously approved the project in 2022. The selection of the winning architectural firm, Moatti & Rivière, was made by three independent colleges that did not include any sitting parliamentarians. The new reception pavilion, designed by architect Alain Moatti of Moatti & Rivière, will be 8 meters high, matching the size of the current building and built on the same footprint. The design includes stone columns made from recycled materials from the old structure, which will serve as sunshades for the new building’s windows. The architect emphasized that the façade will be both contemporary and made of stone. Braun-Pivet noted that the old building was not considered to have significant heritage value, and the new pavilion will not require changes to the preservation and enhancement plan (PSMV) for the 7th arrondissement of Paris. The City of Paris has already given a favorable opinion on the plan for underground spaces. A controversial video created in part using artificial intelligence by the group Sites et Monuments in August reignited debates about the project’s design. The National Assembly plans to submit a building permit in early 2027, with construction starting in 2028 and the new space expected to be completed in 2030. While Braun-Pivet insists that halting the project would not be sensible, she acknowledged that the Bureau, if reconstituted after the presidential election, could potentially pause, modify, or delay the project. She warned that stopping it would not be neutral, as it would require compensating the architecture firm Moatti & Rivière.