Mathilde Panot announced the submission of the motion for a resolution aimed at dismissing the head of state. She stated that the text would be signed by parliamentarians other than those from La France Insoumise.
While the white smoke has still not left the Élysée, the Insoumis are taking action. “Today is the 50th day of the resigning government. The parliamentary group, in responsibility, has decided that the motion for a resolution aimed at dismissing the President of the Republic, under Article 68 of the Constitution, would be tabled today.”announced Mathilde Panot, during a press conference at the National Assembly. “Emmanuel Macron is not only the sticking point, but also the reason why we do not have a government, and the agent of disruption of the proper democratic functioning of institutions”asserted the leader of the Mélenchonist deputies.
With this resolution proposal, La France Insoumise (LFI) intends to bring “a political response commensurate with the anti-democratic coup that the President of the Republic is carrying out.” Mathilde Panot claims that the number of signatories of the text “will go beyond the rebellious ranks” (72 deputies). She mentions in particular “overseas deputies” from the communist group and the ecologist parliamentarian Sandrine Rousseau. The complete list will be revealed in the afternoon.
“Erratic and dangerous behavior”
The first step to take for this procedure is the vote of the bureau of the National Assembly. A body in which the New Popular Front (NFP) is in the majority, recalled Mathilde Panot. It would still be necessary for the socialists – who criticized this initiative – to support the resolution proposal. To her allies in the party with the rose, the deputy of Val-de-Marne explains that “This is not the final choice” the vote for or against impeachment that counts, but “to have a debate in full view of everyone (…) around the erratic and dangerous behavior of the President of the Republic”.
If the resolution proposal were adopted by the bureau, it would then be debated in the Laws Committee and then in the chamber. To pass these different stages, a two-thirds majority of members is necessary. How can this be achieved, when the NFP only has 193 deputies? “Everyone will take responsibility” dismisses Mathilde Panot, who prefers to emphasize the success of the petition launched on Saturday August 31 by LFI. Entitled «Macron, destitution !»it has already collected more than 180,000 signatures.
In the unlikely event that MPs vote in favour of the proposed resolution, it would be the senators’ turn to debate it. If the text is adopted by the Upper House, Parliament will then constitute itself as a High Court, which has one month to rule on the impeachment of the head of state. A procedure that, until now, has never been successful.
