In France, Gabriel Attal became prime minister to relaunch Emmanuel Macron's five-year term

After 24 hours of unusual procrastination, French President Emmanuel Macron finally chose Gabriel Attal on Tuesday to succeed Prime Minister Elisabeth Bourne. Despite the opposition of many Macronite pillars, the current Minister of Education, who has been in office for barely six months, is the one who will succeed the one nicknamed “Madame 49.3” because she has resorted 23 times to this quick procedure that makes it possible to circumvent the vote of the National Assembly. Due to the lack of a parliamentary majority.

At the age of 34, Attal, a rising star in politics, became a Socialist Party stalwart before becoming an early follower of Emmanuel Macron in 2016, the Socialist Party's youngest prime minister.^H Republic. A title previously held by Laurent Fabius, who was appointed at the age of 37 by François Mitterrand in 1984.

Despite his limited parliamentary experience and not heading any sovereign ministry, Gabriel Attal has recently become the most popular minister in the government. He was appointed to education only six months ago, and he emerged from the ban. For general approvalShe wears the abaya, the traditional Islamic dress, to school. He expressed support for restoring teachers' authority, noted the return of uniforms and wanted to address bullying in schools through “empathy courses.”

In what Parisians consider to be arctic cold (-2 degrees Celsius), the new Prime Minister addressed the new Prime Minister while shaking hands with “these French people.” [de la classe moyenne] Who sometimes no longer find themselves there. He said that he saw the appointment of the youngest prime minister as the fifth^H The Republic is “a symbol of boldness and movement.” The former education minister also says he takes with him “the school as a mother.” [s]”Battles”. “Tell the truth. Acting without delay is what I will do as Prime Minister.”

Born politician

Unlike former governor Elizabeth Bourne, whose personality was always technocratic, Attal has a much more political personality.

He was a truly gifted communicator, and had had an impeccable career since his studies at the École Chic in Paris, his time at the Institute of Political Sciences and his years of activity in the Socialist Party. He took his first steps in politics in the office of Socialist Health Minister Marisol Touraine, before becoming government spokesman during Emmanuel Macron's first term, then Minister Delegate in charge of Public Accounts.

Coming from the left, but attractive to part of the right, he appears to be the president's personal choice to lead policy in the last term. It is a policy that Emmanuel Macron says he wants to develop under the slogan of “rearmament.” But this choice does not pass without opposition within the government itself, as suggested by the long hours of meetings that delayed this appointment.

Behind the scenes of the Elysee, there is no denying the presence of influential ministers such as Bruno Le Maire (Economy) and Gérald Darmanin (Interior), as well as the heads of the majority parties, such as François Bayrou (Modern Democracy) and Edouard Philippe (Horizons). We do not appreciate the arrival of this newcomer to the political game. Especially three years before the presidential elections, during which Emmanuel Macron will not be able to run again.

Tactical choice

In the near future, observers see this appointment above all as a tactical option aimed at combating the rapid rise of another rising political star, Jordan Bardella, president of the National Rally and head of his party, five months before the European elections. List in the European elections. This son of immigrants from the poor suburbs of the capital is only 28 years old, is at the top of all opinion polls and remains the only political figure to rise in the elections. Ranking of the 50 most popular people in France Sunday newspaperA big difference from Gabriel Attal.

According to Bardella, “By appointing Gabriel Attal to Matignon, Emmanuel Macron wants to cling to his popularity in the opinion polls to ease the pain of the endless end to his rule. He even risks taking the short-lived Minister of National Education with him in his downfall…”

On the other end of the political spectrum, Jean-Luc Mélenchon, leader of the French radical left party La France Insommies, joked: “Attal regains his position as spokesman. The office of the prime minister disappears. The presidential monarch rules alone with his court. Woe to the people whose leaders are children.” »

Gabriel Attal, gifted with “great political flexibility,” could emerge as a political double for Emmanuel Macron, according to BFMTV political columnist Benjamin Duhamel. Socialist Olivier Faure quipped: “Emmanuel Macron is succeeding himself.” In the field of education, “he gained his popularity by speaking like the National Front,” said National Front deputy Laurent Jacobelli.

Victim of immigration law

In office since Emmanuel Macron's re-election in April 2022, Elisabeth Borne will ultimately be unable to survive the recent parliamentary setbacks that have rocked the government during the adoption of the immigration law.

“I must tender my resignation,” the Prime Minister made sure to make clear in her letter. A way of emphasizing, to borrow his words from Michel Rocard, that she leaves Matignon as reluctantly as the latter.

During her 19 months in power, she became the second woman to lead a government in Region V^H République won't have much of a break. Although she was the president's second choice, she went through the crisis of pension reform until she finally exhausted her political capital in the turbulent debate over immigration. This is the incident that led, due to the presence of an assembly without a majority or coalition, to the adoption of a more stringent law regarding illegal immigration than Emmanuel Macron wanted.

In the absence of this parliamentary majority, some expected the appointment of a more unified right-wing figure, such as Defense Minister Sebastien Lecornu. Gabriel Attal was elected as MP in 2017, and has frequented ministerial offices more than council seats. Will he be able to form alliances where Elizabeth Bourne so often failed?

Among the first to react to this appointment, teaching unions denounced the appointment of a fourth Minister of Education in less than two years.

Despite its popularity, ultimately, scan for Sunday newspaper And CNews He revealed that 52% of the French said they did not trust him. When she was appointed, Elizabeth Bourne was trusted by 53% of the population. Keen to show that he was at work, in the afternoon, the new Prime Minister was already in the Pas-de-Calais area, where there were floods. We will not know the composition of the government until the coming days.

“By pushing Gabriel Attal into Matignon, Emmanuel Macron has dared to gamble on youth by giving France the youngest head of government it has ever had. […] But young people don't make a programme. writing Le Figaro. One thing is certain, Emmanuel Macron has just named a new potential candidate to succeed him in 2027.

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