With less than five years to go until the Winter Olympic Games in the French Alps, the Senate of France has taken a key step by approving in first reading a draft law aimed at accelerating preparations. The legislation, backed by Sports Minister Marie Barsacq, seeks to replicate and adapt measures previously used for the Paris 2024 Games, with the goal of ensuring infrastructure and protocols are ready in time for the 2030 multisport event.

The initiative includes streamlining administrative procedures, speeding up construction projects such as an Olympic village and an ice rink in Nice, and introducing new security measures. However, it has not been free of criticism, particularly from the Green Group, which opposed the bill citing environmental and economic concerns. The National Assembly will review the proposal in the fall, amid growing public debate about the true costs of hosting the Games.

A law between logistical urgency and economic concerns

The project approved by the upper chamber revives measures previously used for Paris 2024, such as exemptions from urban planning permits and expanded powers for emergency expropriation. It also introduces new tools specifically designed for the mountainous regions hosting the event: Savoie, Haute-Savoie, Côte d’Azur, and Briançonnais. Among the most controversial provisions are the extended use of algorithmic surveillance cameras until 2027 and the possibility of vehicle searches during large events, which has raised concerns among left-wing groups.

The debate has intensified following the release by the French Court of Auditors of a preliminary estimate of public spending on the Paris Games: 6 billion euros, revealed on June 23. This figure has fueled skepticism about the true financial impact of hosting Olympic events, especially with the final budget for the Winter Games still unclear. Although the Senate rejected a clause that would have allowed regions to provide financial guarantees to the organizing committee, the economic issue will likely continue to shape political and public discussions in the months to come.