Violation of the principles of the rule of law in France resulting from the refusal to recognise the outcome of the parliamentary elections

16.9.2024

Question for written answer  E-001722/2024
to the Commission
Rule 144
Marina Mesure (The Left), Manon Aubry (The Left), Younous Omarjee (The Left), Anthony Smith (The Left), Leila Chaibi (The Left), Arash Saeidi (The Left), Rima Hassan (The Left), Damien Carême (The Left), Emma Fourreau (The Left)

Following the 2024 parliamentary elections, the New Popular Front (NFP) coalition emerged as the leading parliamentary coalition in the National Assembly. However, breaking with the practice of parliamentary democracies, the President of the Republic refused to invite the NFP-designated candidate Lucie Castets to form a government and to appoint her as Prime Minister. Instead, after maintaining an outgoing government that trampled on the principles of the separation of powers and exceeded its constitutional powers, Emmanuel Macron appointed a Prime Minister from a group that had been defeated at the parliamentary elections: Michel Barnier. Barnier’s programme is directly inspired by the far right; its proposals openly call into question fundamental rights guaranteed by European and international law, including the right of asylum.

Does the Commission consider that Emmanuel Macron’s refusal to recognise the result of the parliamentary elections, as well as the political orientation of the new Prime Minister, constitute a violation of the principles of the rule of law in France and of the values enshrined in Article 2 of the Treaty on European Union?

Submitted: 16.9.2024