Richard Ferrand, new president of the Constitutional Council, said his thought on the limit of mandates concerning the function of president.
Emmanuel Macron, as head of state, has a prerogative that escapes many French people. He has a right of appointment on the Constitutional Council and chose his friend Richard Ferrand as a candidate for the presidency of this major institution of the Republic. This candidacy was validated this Wednesday, February 19 by the parliamentarians on Wednesday, February 19, with one voice. Richard Ferrand therefore replaces Laurent Fabius at the head of the “Council of Sages” of the Republic.
Recall that the Constitutional Council guarantees, thanks to the technical work of its members, that the new laws adopted by Parliament, in particular under the leadership of the government, comply with our Constitution.
The person who chairs the Constitutional Council is therefore invested with a crucial mission. Richard Ferrand who now occupies this function, will obviously be very exposed to criticism, at least questions. The first concerns of course its proximity to Emmanuel Macron; The two men never hid their friendship. In a platform published in Le Monde Sunday, February 9, lawyers and constitutionalists Dominique Chagnollaud and Jules Lepoutre considered that this appointment was, if it was confirmed, “emblematic of a sad perception of our rulers, who sometimes make up appointments, on which they have their hands, a portfolio of favors to distribute to their loved ones on exclusive criteria of political proximity “.
“I don’t think I have a valet soul,” swept through the parliamentarians Richard Ferrand, during his hearing, adding, in a more solemn tone: “I tend to trust humanity. I think that Those who sit there strive to rise above their intellectual condition [et] activist, to do [leur travail] The most loyally in the world and, while respecting the pronounced oath, exercising the functions entrusted to them “.
Recall that Richard Ferrand had had some very amazing remarks on our Constitution, that he deemed improper on a specific point. The former Breton deputy and president of the National Assembly had indeed estimated, in June 2023, that “the limitation of the presidential mandate in time and the non -cumulation of mandates” were regrettable. “Personally, I regret everything that bridled the free expression of popular sovereignty,” he said. “All of this let us make our public life in rules that limit the free choice of citizens. It weakens our political life in quality and density, and makes it less attractive.” And to add: “Let’s change it all!”
Many opposition personalities had then castigated a proposal which they described as a way of changing our founding texts to allow Emmanuel Macron to present themselves for a third consecutive presidential mandate. “And why not restore the Empire with Macron 1er?”, In particular quipped Mathilde Panot, president of the LFI group in the National Assembly.
Richard Ferrand had to deny any autocratic will, specifying that he had never thought that such a change in the constitution could take place for the presidential election of 2027. “My words did not consist that it was necessary to change Rules for 2027, but that in general, we had to allow our democracy, in my opinion, to breathe better by leaving in all circumstances the last word to electricity and voters, “he said in 2023 on Sud Radio.
This Wednesday, before the deputies and senators, he responded directly to the president of the LFI group to the Assembly: “I know article six of our Constitution and naturally, he will apply to the current president as he will apply to Others, except modification, if the constituent that you are decided. .