Macron faces symbolic impeachment from left-wing radicals

The ongoing political wrangling over who will form the next government in France has taken a new twist.

Thus, the radical left-wing La France Insoumise party, also known as LFI, tried to rally other groups to bring impeachment proceedings against President Emmanuel Macron, for what it regards as serious failings in his constitutional duties, Caliber.Az reports, citing foreign media.

Although the two-round vote saw RN relegated to being the third-largest bloc in the parliament, a loose coalition of left-wing parties emerged as the largest grouping, ahead of Macron's own centrists, but, crucially, without an overall majority.

Earlier in the summer, Macron announced a surprise election for seats in the National Assembly, in a bid to call the bluff of the electorate over rising support from the far-right National Rally party, or RN. After a temporary lull in political activity during the Paris Olympic Games, talks have resumed over who should be the next prime minister and what the make-up of the next Cabinet should be, but so far there has been little progress.

Macron has already rejected one name put forward by some left-wing parties to be prime minister, economist Lucie Castets, saying he had a duty to ensure "institutional stability" and that she is regarded as someone who would not gain wider support and approval, leading to constitutional deadlock. This has prompted LFI to take action, saying it is not up to the president to do "political horse trading".

The impeachment bid looks to be largely symbolic rather than meaningful, however, with two-thirds of the combined members of the 577-seat national assembly and 349-seat Senate needing to support any action for it to be successful.

Article 68 of the French Constitution says a presidential mandate can be terminated early "in the event of a breach of duty manifestly incompatible with the exercise of his mandate".

Additionally, it's worth noting that former French prime minister Edouard Philippe delivered a serious blow to Emmanuel Macron in announcing his candidacy for the next presidential election, while the latter struggles to rein in an unprecedented political crisis.

Philippe, a center-right figure who has a complicated relationship with President Macron, is preparing his troops for a presidential election possibly as early as 2025. He is banking that Macron will be forced to step down before the end of his mandate in 2027, according to several top members of his Horizons party.

“He considers that everything can move,” someone close to Philippe said.

Notably, Macron has vowed to stay in his post until the next presidential election in 2027, as a guarantor of the French institutions.