French Lawmakers Push to Resume Halted A69 Highway Construction

A proposed law seeks to override a court ruling that stopped the A69 project over environmental concerns.

The A69 highway project, linking Toulouse and Castres, was halted by a February 27 court ruling citing insufficient public interest to justify environmental harm.
Four Tarn lawmakers have proposed a law to retroactively validate the project, framing it as a 'reason of imperative public interest.'
Critics, including environmental groups and legal experts, warn the move undermines judicial authority and sets a dangerous precedent for the rule of law.
The French government supports the proposal, with officials emphasizing the project's economic importance and its advanced completion stage (70% finished).
Opponents have called for a full audit of the project's financials, questioning claims about costs and public investments tied to its completion.