France, Aug. 16 -- Attal, the former prime minister and Renaissance presidential candidate, argued that a referendum could provide a faster route to introducing the measure while allowing the government to address the constitutional concerns raised by France's highest constitutional authority.

Macron moved quickly after the Constitutional Council's decision, asking Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu on Friday to prepare a new version of the legislation that would be "legally sound".

But Attal, writing in an article for La Tribune published on Sunday, said the revised measure should go further and be submitted directly to the public.

"This new measure, which must obviously take into account the Constitutional Council's observations, shoul...