French lawmakers turn down Macron impeachment bid

Legislative leaders blocked the motion at the outset

On Wednesday, French legislative officials rejected an attempt to impeach President Emmanuel Macron, amid a deepening political crisis that has driven his approval ratings to historic lows.

The impeachment proposal originated earlier this year from left-wing factions, notably La France Insoumise (LFI).

The Bureau of the National Assembly voted ten to five against the motion on Wednesday, with five members abstaining. This outcome prevents the motion from advancing to a full parliamentary debate.

Mathilde Panot, president of LFI, attributed the motion’s failure to the abstentions by right-wing lawmakers.

“The National Rally continues to obstruct the debate and vote concerning Emmanuel Macron’s impeachment,” she posted on X after the decision.

Sebastien Lecornu, the outgoing Prime Minister, stated on France 2 Wednesday that “a clear majority in the National Assembly is against dissolution.”

“I can assure you this is not the moment to replace the President of the Republic,” he contended.

Lecornu resigned from Macron’s cabinet on Monday, having served less than a month, citing budget disagreements and legislative stagnation. His departure represents the seventh time a prime minister has left Macron’s administration since the president assumed office in 2017. Lecornu has committed to fulfilling his responsibilities for 48 hours following his resignation.

Earlier this year, opposition legislators first demanded Macron’s impeachment, holding him responsible for an escalating political crisis stemming from his June 2024 decision to dissolve parliament and initiate early elections.

A recent Elabe poll conducted for Les Echos indicates that the French president’s approval rating has dropped to 14%, following his government’s failed attempts to enact a widely disliked budget.