Emmanuel Macron FURY: French president "will have to leave" if he loses referendum | World | New



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It is understood that a referendum is envisaged for May 26, the same day as the elections to the European Parliament, and the Elections Office has already made contact with printers and paper suppliers in case of advance voting.

The referendum would include asking voters if they want to reduce the number of legislators and limit the number of warrants they can use to prevent career politicians from clinging to power, Macron's campaign promises.

One of the main demands of the yellow vests is the holding of a popular vote on key political decisions, but Macron's political opponents warned against rushing into a referendum, which they say would hardly dilute popular rage.

Conservative MEP Philippe Juvin told France Info: "If Emmanuel Macron loses this referendum, he will face the consequences and he will have to go."

Mr. Macron behaves like a "poker player" by asking a question, he knows people will not be able to say no, Mr. Juvin added, "He will not hold a referendum, but a plebiscite."

Francois-Xavier Bellamy, another conservative and chairman of the Republican party's electoral list in the EU, said a referendum would not quell the revolt of the yellow vest.

He told Radio Clbadique: "What is certain is that a referendum will fail to emerge from the current crisis."

He also warned that holding it on the same day as the parliamentary elections would only hurt the European debate.

Mr. Bellamy added, "We need a real debate about Europe. a real debate on the future of the bloc, and it would be absurd to replace it with a discussion of issues of national interest. "

For its part, conservative leader Laurent Wauquiez said Sunday in an interview with CNews, Europe 1 radio and the newspaper Les Echos that Mr Macron would take a "big risk" if he organized the referendum in May.

He said: "Let's make sure the country does not become unmanageable."

Right-wing leader Marine Le Pen also criticized Macron's referendum plans, saying that he had proposed a vote on the same day as the European elections "to divert attention from issues European ".

The European elections, which will take place from 23 to 26 May, announce a major battle between pro-European liberals such as Mr Macron and eurosceptic nationalists such as Mrs Le Pen, who want to challenge the status quo and extend their power.

European Affairs Minister Nathalie Loiseau took a more cautious tone, saying the debate was "premature" and that it was still "too early" to talk about a referendum.

Mr Macron "excludes nothing, but he has not yet made a decision," she said in a joint interview with RTL radio, the daily Le Figaro and LCI television Sunday.

If the national vote took place, it would be the first referendum in France for 14 years.

The anti-government rebellion against the yellow vest shaking French politics has posed the most daunting challenge to Macron's administration over the past 20 months.

The troubles are already forcing him to raise the minimum wage by £ 87.60 a month and to cancel an increase in the tax rate for low-income pensioners.

Named after the fluorescent lifejackets that all French motorists must wear, the protest movement began Nov. 17 in reaction to the planned increases in carbon tax and price hikes. gasoline, but it quickly snowballed to give a wider expression of anger to Macron's liberal economic policies and vigilance.

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