Limitation of presidential terms: Emmanuel Macron deplores a “fatal bullshit”

Emmanuel Macron described the limitation on the number of presidential terms, which prevents him from being able to run again in 2027, as “disastrous bullshit” during his long interview with the leaders of the opposition parties on Wednesday in Saint-Denis in Seine-Saint -Denis, two participants told AFP on Thursday. According to these sources, which confirm the declarations of Jean-Luc Mélenchon, the President of the Republic declared: “Not being able to be re-elected is a disastrous bullshit”.

“He may have made a joke on this subject”

According to Jean-Luc Mélenchon, “Macron cracked. He said: ‘not being able to be re-elected is a fatal bullshit’. Being able to shorten this one by recall referendum would be a general relief”, thundered on X (ex-Twitter) , the former rebellious candidate for the presidential election, who was not present during the interview.

“Grotesque”! Manuel Bompard had the right word. 12 hours of interventions in a row for nothing. Everyone recited their program, period. Macron repeated his. What is such a “discussion” worth at 3 a.m.? What about social issues after midnight? Appalling.…

— Jean-Luc Melenchon (@JLMelenchon) August 31, 2023

“He may have made a joke on this subject”, nuance a participant of the majority. At this point in the discussion, Emmanuel Macron was reacting to a proposal from the leader of the National Rally, Jordan Bardella, concerning a single seven-year term.

Maximum two consecutive terms since 2008

The president spoke until the end of the night, behind closed doors, with the numbers one of the opposition parties, left and right. They are calling for rapid “announcements” from the Head of State on Thursday to “concretely translate” this initiative.

Since a reform of Nicolas Sarkozy in 2008, the number of presidential terms in France is limited to two consecutive. In the show Pascal Praud and you this Tuesday, the former president returned to this limitation at the microphone of Pascal Praud. “Ten years is huge (…). Power is dangerous, you get used to it. It’s a hard drug. Ten years is more than enough”, Nicolas Sarkozy declared on Europe 1.

With the impossibility for Emmanuel Macron, elected for the first time in 2017 and currently 45 years old, to present himself in 2027, the question of his succession agitates the camp of the presidential majority more than ever.