The French government plans to introduce a new law in November to increase the authority of the High Authority for the Transparency of Public Life (HATVP), announced by Laurent Panifous, the minister for Relations with Parliament, during a meeting with the Association of Parliamentary Journalists. The proposal, backed by Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu, aims to enhance the HATVP’s ability to monitor ethical conduct among public officials and regulate lobbying and foreign influence. The bill, which will be discussed in the Council of Ministers in November, includes suggestions from the HATVP itself, including those from Jean Maïa, the authority’s president, who released a report in May outlining ways to improve its operations. According to Le Monde, the government also plans to rename the institution the High Authority for Public Integrity (HAIP). This new name reflects the HATVP’s evolving role, which involves ensuring the ethics of public officials, regulating lobbying, and monitoring foreign influence on the country. Jean Maïa, in his report, emphasized the need for a more fitting title to match the authority’s expanded responsibilities. The proposed law would grant the HAIP the power to impose administrative fines if public officials fail to submit their asset declarations. Currently, the HATVP can only report such cases to the courts, a process that is slow and indirect. Le Monde reports that the new law would introduce a system of graduated fines, with a maximum daily penalty of 500 euros. The aim is to make the HAIP more effective in ensuring the integrity of public officials and rebuilding public trust in political leaders. The bill also seeks to close a legal gap regarding the movement of people between the public and private sectors. Since January 31, individuals from the private sector can join the public sector even if they do not follow certain rules, due to a decision by the Constitutional Council in January 2025. The Council opposed an automatic three-year ban on hiring private sector workers who violate guidelines. The new law would allow such sanctions but not make them automatic. Despite the government’s plans, the bill does not address the need for more staff at the HATVP. Jean Maïa, in an interview with AFP, expressed frustration over unfulfilled promises of hiring more personnel, especially as the HATVP manages a register of foreign influences that has been in place for over a year. He requested 12 additional positions for 2027, but the authority currently has nearly 80 employees. With a shortened parliamentary session ending by February to accommodate the presidential election campaign, the government aims to pass the bill before the Elysée ballot, with Laurent Panifous leading the effort.