'Damnable b******t!' Macron furious at being limited to two terms in power
French President Emmanuel Macron gives a speech in front of French ambassadors during the conference of ambassadors at the Elysee Palace, Paris
REUTERS
Emmanuel Macron has slammed France’s two-term constitutional limit which means he must step down as President in 2027 as “damnable b******t”.
Macron, 45, blasted the constitutional constraints during a meeting with party leaders on Wednesday.
Far-left leader Jean-Luc Melenchon claimed the 25th French President described the limit as “damnable b******t that one could not be re-elected”.
Two other participants also confirmed Macron made the remark.
French President Emmanuel Macron delivers a speech during a ceremony to commemorate the 79th anniversary of the liberation of the village Bormes-les-Mimosas, south-eastern France
REUTERS
French Presidents, similarly to their American counterparts, can only serve two five-year terms.
The change was brought in following an amendment in 2008, with Francois Mitterand serving from 1981 to 1995.
The limit means Macron will leave the Elysee Palace following the next election in 2027.
However, the two-term deadline has raised concerns about whether Macron’s power is waning as leading figures in his Renaissance party, which emerged out of the embers of En Marche, open the search for his successor.
French President Emmanuel Macron ReutersMacron was first elected President in 2017 after defeating National Rally’s Marine Le Pen by more than 10 million votes.
Despite defeating Le Pen for a second time in 2022, the 45-year-old’s lead collapsed to just over five million ballots.
But Macron’s final days in power have become increasingly difficult as the National Assembly remains in gridlock.
Renaissance, which is relying on support from 51 liberal MPs and 29 centre-right MPs, is around 30 short of commanding a majority.
Marine Le Pen, leader of French far-right National Rally (Rassemblement National) party and candidate for the 2022 French presidential election, speaks during a political campaign rally in Perpignan, France
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Macron was joined by party leaders for 12 hours on Wednesday to discuss Ukraine, inflation, purchasing power and institutional reform.
The French President was reportedly responding to a proposal by far-right leader Jordan Bardella.
Bardella, who succeeded Le Pen as National Rally’s president, supposedly suggested France should switch to a single seven-year term.
An ally to the French President recently shared Macron’s desire for constitutional change.
The French President was reportedly responding to a proposal by far-right leader Jordan Bardella
REUTERS
Richard Ferrand, who served as President of the National Assembly from 2018 to 2022, voiced opposition to the rules as they limit “the expression of popular will”.
Macron’s reported opposition to the two-term limit might surprise some as his support continues to flounder in the opinion polls.
The President’s net approval rating stood at -34 per cent earlier this month.
A separate survey suggested Le Pen could defeat Macron in the second round in a major boost for the populist right across Europe.