Emmanuel Macron and Marine Le Pen diverge on referendums, not on the seven-year term – FRANCE 24

Published on: 04/12/2022 – 07:14 PMModified on: 04/12/2022 – 07:15 PM Emmanuel Macron and Marine Le Pen, both on the move, argued on Tuesday about the possibility of modifying the Constitution without passing by Parliament. The center-right candidate and the far-right candidate agree, however, on a possible return to the seven-year term – which was stopped in France from 2002. D-13 before the second round of the presidential election. On this occasion, the two candidates Emmanuel Macron and Marine Le Pen engaged in a verbal contest, Tuesday, April 12, on the possibility of modifying the Constitution without going through Parliament. Marine Le Pen indicated that he wanted to “revitalize” the institutions and the democratic functioning of the country, during a press conference in Vernon (Eure), by proposing a “referendum revolution”. She added that she wanted a revision of the Constitution to include in it the principle of “national priority” and the primacy of national law over international law. However, to carry out such a project, she would have to go through article 89. , which provides that the text must first be adopted in identical terms by the deputies and senators – where it does not have a political majority – before being submitted to all voters. But “it is much healthier for it to be the people who vote (a constitutional reform) than the two chambers”, estimated the representative of the far right, affirming that “the Constitutional Council has no competence to control a bill which revises the Constitution”, an assertion disputed by lawyers. It is “not true that we can revise the Constitution directly”, also replied Emmanuel Macron during a trip to Mulhouse “We must first go through the two chambers (parliamentary), it is our Constitution which provides for it and the Constitution, we must respect it”. “This presupposes bringing together all the political forces to a large extent”, he insisted again, in reference to his constitutional reform promised in 2017, but aborted two years later after the opposition of the Senate with a right-wing majority. >> To read: Marine Le Pen’s new poster, or the pretense of far-right com’ 02:11 Convergence on the seven-year term and proportional voting citizens’ initiative and “to make it easier to organize referenda on all subjects”. “to the organization of public powers and economic, social and environmental policy” can be submitted to referendum, according to article 11. “A referendum is not dangerous, giving a voice to the people is not dangerous, it which is dangerous is not to s give him,” said the far-right candidate targeting the head of state. 02:12 The latter replied that referendums “in the context of Article 11″ are an instrument that can be used”, including for pension reform, but that he wanted to “first favor a broad political consultation and with the social partners on this subject”. The two adversaries have, moreover, each defended the return of the seven-year term, Marine Le Pen wishing it “non-renewable”. “a good rhythm for the presidential election” and “a good breath compared to the rhythm of the legislative elections”, he on the contrary defended “the renewable nature”.>> “His voice reserves are weak”: what strategy for Emmanuel Macron before the second round? The mandate of the President of the Republic was reduced from seven to five years from the presidential election of 2002, following a referendum largely won by the “yes” (73.21%) two years more On the subject of the establishment of a proportional vote for the legislative elections, the outgoing president recalled that he was “rather in favour” and that it was “a good thing”. Marine Le Pen, for her part, also indicated that the measure was part of her project, “with a majority bonus”. With AFP