The French parliament is considering a proposal to impeach President Emmanuel Macron. The proposal is sponsored by The New Popular Front (NPF) coalition, which won the most National Assembly seats in July’s legislative elections, although it couldn’t make enough seats to form a government.
President Macron earlier this month snubbed NPF candidate for prime minister, Lucie Castets and instead appointed former EU commissioner, Michel Barnier, from the right-wing Les Républicains, which only holds 61 of the 577 National Assembly seats. NPF has 193.
The move erupted in mass protests across France, but Macron stuck to his decision.
More than 80 NPF lawmakers signed the proposal, satisfying the constitutional requirement of at least 10% of the parliament’s 577 members. On Monday, the NPF petition was approved in a 12-10 vote in the Bureau of the National Assembly, the parliamentary managing body.
“Great news! Rejecting the result of the universal vote will not remain without consequences for Macron,” Jean-Luc Melenchon, leader of the largest coalition partner, France Unbowed (LFI), said on X.
The Legal Committee is now tasked with reviewing the petition, and Parliament is required to schedule a discussion within two weeks of the committee’s decision.
If the resolution reaches the assembly floor, it would be the first time in the history of the Fifth Republic that lawmakers would formally debate removing a president from office.
However, removing Macron would require a two-thirds majority, that is 385 votes, which would be difficult for the opposition, as they collectively hold only 364 seats. Even if the assembly passed the motion, the resolution would then need 232 votes in the Senate to be enacted.
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