French Parliament Approves Vaccine Pass

A person holds a sign that reads "Freedom" as people attend a demonstration to protest against a bill that would transform France's current coronavirus disease health pass into a ''vaccine pass,'' in Paris, on Jan. 8, 2022. Sarah Meyssonnier/Reuters

PARIS—France’s parliament gave final approval on Sunday to the government’s latest COVID-19 measures, including a vaccine pass.

Lawmakers in the lower house of parliament voted 215 in favor to 58 against, paving the way for the law to enter force in the coming days.

The new law, which had a rough ride through parliament with opposition parties finding some of its provisions too tough, will require people to have a certificate of vaccination to enter public places like restaurants, cafes, cinemas, and long-distance trains.

The final result of the vote during the final reading of the bill introducing the vaccine pass, at the Palais Bourbon, France's National Assembly, in Paris, on Jan. 16, 2022. Thomas Coex/AFP via Getty Images

Currently, unvaccinated people can enter such places with the results of a recent negative COVID-19 test. Nearly 78 percent of the population is fully vaccinated, according to the Health Ministry on Saturday.

President Emmanuel Macron, who is expected to seek a second term in an April presidential election, told Le Parisien paper this month that he wanted to “piss off” unvaccinated people by making their lives so complicated they would end up getting the COVID-19 vaccine.

Thousands of protestors demonstrated in Paris and some other cities on Saturday against the law.