France’s Francois Hollande Possible Impeachment: President Won’t Face Hearing After National Assembly Vote

France’s President Francois Hollande escaped impeachment following a vote Wednesday by the National Assembly over whether he violated security protocols by revealing targeted killings by his government to two journalists, Reuters reported. Hollande, who’s been in power since 2012 under the Socialist Party, saw his parliament committee vote 13-8 against impeachment under France’s constitution.

Hollande caused a stir when he perhaps inadvertently revealed the killings to two Le Monde reporters in the process of writing the book called “A President Shouldn’t Say That.” The book, released in October, is a series of Hollande interviews conducted over several years.

During one such interview in August 2013, Hollande reportedly left classified documents open on his desk in front of the reporters. Hollande also reportedly admitted to ordering airstrikes in Syria that led to four assassinations.

The impeachment process began on Nov. 11 and was led by conservative Pierre Lellouche who said from the outset that Hollande “seriously violated defense secrecy,” according to BBC News. France’s impeachment process falls under article 68 of its constitution and requires a two-thirds majority from both the Assembly and the Senate. But the measure must pass a committee before it reaches either chamber for the special vote.

Hollande’s Socialist Party already has a 51 percent majority in the Assembly, compared to 37 percent in the Senate, meaning Hollande appears safe as of now. Neither Hollande nor a representative from his administration immediately commented Wednesday on the impeachment vote.

The scandal has hurt his already poor approval ratings among voters and puts his potential for a second-term in question. In July, a poll found only 12 percent of voters approved of Hollande’s work in office according to the Washington Post. Following the book’s release, that number plummeted even further to 4 percent earlier this month.

France is scheduled to hold its next presidential election in 2017.