Macron Says Limit of 2 Consecutive Presidential Terms 'Takes Away Some of Voters' Freedom'

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - French President Emmanuel Macron has said he has no intention of changing France's constitution, but believes the limit of two consecutive presidential terms "takes away some of the freedom" of voters.

Macron said he did not seek to change the country's constitution, but added that it was "always better to leave the choice to the voters."

"It doesn't necessarily mean that I would like to run for a third term, but when we put prohibitions in the law, we somehow take away some of the freedom of sovereign voters," he told French newspaper Tribune.

Last September, two participants in Macron's talks with political parties' representatives said he expressed a belief that "not being able to be reelected is ruinously stupid." Macron dropped the phrase in response to a proposal by Jordan Bardella, leader of the far-right National Rally party, to introduce a single seven-year presidential term. In response to opposition criticism, Macron's party said the president was probably joking.

The second presidential term of Macron, who was first elected to the French presidency in 2017, expires in 2027.

Under the French constitution, a president cannot be elected for more than two consecutive five-year terms.