The rebels are not giving up. Whatever the other parties on the political spectrum say, the impeachment procedure they have put on the table is not a vain project. Even if they recognize that the process is anything but smooth sailing, the leaders of Jean-Luc Mélenchon’s movement are publicly hammering home that yes, Emmanuel Macron can be impeached. “If we look at the balance of power in the National Assembly, I notice that the Macronists only represent a third of the elected representatives. So there are two thirds of the deputies who do not claim to be Emmanuel Macron supporters. Do they accept his power grab? That is the question that will be asked of them. If you are truly in the opposition, you cannot approve of this.”presented the LFI coordinator Manuel Bompard at the end of August in Valence (Drôme). In front of the press this Monday, the leader of the LFI deputies, Mathilde Panot, again denounced the “coup de force” of Emmanuel Macron and his “dangerous behavior”.
“This procedure is possible”
But before such a question arises, the process permitted by Article 68 of the Constitution must pass a first decisive stage on Tuesday, September 17: the office of the National Assembly. It is indeed the highest collegiate authority of the National Assembly that has the heavy task of deciding on the admissibility, or not, of the approach while the Head of State “may only be dismissed in the event of a breach of his duties which is manifestly incompatible with the exercise of his mandate,” according to the supreme text. The left has the majority (12 out of 22 deputies) and can therefore decide to initiate the procedure. “There is no reason why the Bureau of the Assembly should not forward this resolution for debate,” assured Mathilde Panot this Monday.
For the rebels and the other signatories from the environmental and social group (GES), as well as the democratic and republican left led by the PCF, Emmanuel Macron’s refusal to appoint Lucie Castets to Matignon despite the NFP’s narrow victory in the legislative elections constitutes this famous breach of presidential duties. The supporters of this line represent 9 members of the office.
The PS will vote in favour of admissibility
Everything depended on the choice of the three socialists in the body, who, from the beginning, were keen to distance themselves from the rebellious initiative. The pinks did not really appreciate being presented with a fait accompli by their partners at the end of the summer. However, on Monday evening, the PS deputies announced that they “will vote in favor of its admissibility” since “this resolution (is) signed by more than a tenth of the members of the Assembly and justified.”
On the other hand, the socialists “have not changed their point of view on the substance”they specify in a press release. “We are resolutely opposed to this impeachment procedure, which is the heir to the exceptional procedure for “high treason”. The Socialist and related deputies did not initiate this procedure, are not signatories to it and will unanimously oppose this impeachment proposal when it is examined by the Law Commission and then in public session.”they say.
In any case, they believe that the procedure has no chance of success. An argument refuted by Mathilde Panot on Monday. “This procedure is possible,” she certified, adding that a majority could be found to bring this resolution to fruition, first in the Law Committee, then in the hemicycle. The LFI representative also put the pressure back on her socialist colleagues: “I hope that the Socialist Party will decide that it agrees not to dismiss the President of the Republic, which is a debate in itself (…) but to transmit (this resolution proposal) and that we have a democratic debate.” “We are not asking you to agree. We are asking you to agree to transmit” and of “let the Law Commission sort it out”, Jean-Luc Mélenchon had specified in his speech at the Fête de l’Huma on Saturday in an attempt to convince his comrades not to block.
The decision of the PS representatives of the Bureau of the National Assembly to align themselves with their partners of the New Popular Front, should mark the beginning of a long parliamentary process. To succeed, the text will then have to be adopted in the Law Commission, and in the hemicycle by a two-thirds majority both in the Palais-Bourbon and in the Senate. If this is the case, a “High Court” of 22 parliamentarians must be constituted to rule by secret ballot on the dismissal which, to be approved, will have to, again, be voted by two-thirds of this restricted college. Conversely, a socialist blockage would have marked the end of the process. And led, without a doubt, to a new crisis within the left.
Updated at 9 p.m. with the decision of the PS group.
Source: www.liberation.fr
