The radical left-wing party France Insoumise (LFI) has submitted a motion to impeach French President Emmanuel Macron, accusing him of committing a “serious breach” of his constitutional duty by refusing to appoint a prime minister from the left-wing coalition New Popular Front (NFP). The decision is based on the fact that Macron did not respect the will expressed by universal suffrage, according to LFI, as the left-wing alliance led the last legislative elections with 193 seats.
LFI MPs argue that both the National Assembly and the Senate must defend democracy against what they consider to be an “authoritarian temptation” by President Macron. In their motion for a resolution, the MPs claim that Macron’s refusal to appoint Lucie Castets as Prime Minister, after consulting the various political forces, constitutes a violation of his presidential duties.
According to the French Constitution, the president has the power to appoint the prime minister, but LFI believes that this choice should reflect the result of the elections and the popular will. Macron, for his part, justified his decision by arguing that a government led by the NFP would be immediately censured by other groups in the Assembly, which would put the country’s institutional stability at risk.
The process of removing the head of state, regulated by Article 68 of the Constitution, is complex and difficult to carry out, as it requires the approval of two-thirds of parliamentarians meeting in a High Court. However, this challenge is intensified by the fact that a considerable part of the left has shown itself reluctant to support this measure. In addition, Olivier Faure, leader of the French Socialist Party, has ruled out the possibility of negotiating with Macron to find a prime minister, thus avoiding a fracture within the NFP left.
