French Parliament Rejects Motion to Impeach Macron Amid Political Turmoil

By Staff, Agencies

French parliamentary leaders have blocked an attempt to impeach President Emmanuel Macron on Wednesday, as the nation faces a deepening political crisis and Macron’s approval ratings sink to historic lows.

The motion was originally introduced earlier this year by left-wing parties led by La France Insoumise [LFI]. On Wednesday, the Bureau of the National Assembly voted ten to five against the motion, with five abstentions, effectively preventing it from moving forward in Parliament.

LFI president Mathilde Panot criticized abstaining right-wing MPs for obstructing the process, writing on X: “The National Rally is still preventing the discussion and vote on Emmanuel Macron's impeachment.”

Outgoing Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu told France 2 that an “absolute majority in the National Assembly opposes the dissolution” and insisted that “this is not the time to change the President of the Republic”.

Lecornu resigned from Macron’s cabinet on Monday after less than a month in office due to budget disputes and parliamentary gridlock, marking the seventh resignation of a prime minister since Macron took office in 2017. He has agreed to continue performing his duties for 48 hours post-resignation.

Opposition lawmakers had initially pushed for impeachment earlier this year, blaming Macron for worsening political instability after his June 2024 decision to dissolve parliament and call snap elections.

Recent polling by Elabe for Les Echos indicates Macron’s approval rating has plummeted to 14%, reflecting frustration with his government’s failed attempt to pass a deeply unpopular budget.