After La France insoumise (LFI), it is now the executives of the National Rally (RN) who are considering a resignation from Emmanuel Macron in the event of censorship against the government of Michel Barnier.
Emmanuel Macron in the hot seat? The Insoumis and the RN are increasing pressure on the head of state and suggesting that he resign in the event of of the vote on a motion of censure against the government of Michel Barnier.
“We are completely responsible people, we know the consequences that censorship would have,” explained this Sunday the vice-president of the far-right party Sébastien Chenu on LCI.
The threat of a motion of censure voted by the RN
In this scenario, Emmanuel Macron could “reappoint the same Prime Minister, reappoint a new Prime Minister, trigger a referendum, (or) resign if he no longer has any other solution”.
“If the motion of censure is ever passed, it is up to Emmanuel Macron to draw the consequences,” says Edwige Diaz, RN deputy for Gironde, on BFMTV. “Like an immense majority of French people, I would be delighted if Emmanuel Macron resigned. This is one of the possible outcomes,” she explains.
To be adopted, a motion of censure in the National Assembly must receive the votes of deputies from the New Popular Front (NFP) and the National Rally (RN). If the left already promises to vote for it, Marine Le Pen maintains doubt and continues to put pressure on Michel Barnier.
While she will meet the Prime Minister in Matignon this Monday, the head of the RN deputies indicated this week that her party will vote for censure if “the purchasing power of the French” is “amputated” in the finance bill. The Barnier government is “taking the path” of censorship, Jordan Bardella also warned a few days earlier on BFMTV.
If the National Rally (RN) and the left jointly voted for a motion of censure, the Barnier government, fragile coupling between right and centerwould be overturned and the draft budget rejected.
A new political crisis?
The country would then enter a period of great instability, stuck between the great difficulty of finding a new government in a very fragmented political landscape and the constitutional impossibility of organizing new legislative elections. Indeed, Emmanuel Macron cannot call new elections before next summer.
In this context, some on the left believe that Emmanuel Macron would be forced to resign. Jean-Luc Mélenchon says “obviously ready” in the event of an early presidential election in the month of September. François Ruffin called on Emmanuel Macron to “think seriously” about resigning. As for the PS, Olivier Faure indicates that he is “not sure” that an early presidential election is “the right solution”.
Because a resignation of Emmanuel Macron would lead, within 35 days, to the organization of an early presidential election. Any candidate for the supreme office will then have to collect the sponsorship of 500 mayors and local elected officials to place themselves under the starting line. During the campaign, Gérard Larcher, President of the Senate, would become interim tenant of the Élysée.
But such a scenario still remains far away. Last June, Emmanuel Macron ruled out resignation “whatever the result of the legislative elections”including with the possible victory of Marine Le Pen's camp… or major political instability.
