Emmanuel Macron replaced his Minister Elisabeth Borne with Gabriel Attal in hopes of injecting new energy into his stagnant presidency and revitalizing his exhausted government. Macron was struggling to find majorities in parliament and was trying to buy time as the end of his presidency loomed. Gabriel Attal was tasked with implementing a rejuvenation project and leading the European election campaign to counter the rising popularity of Jordan Bardella from the far-right party, Rassemblement National (RN). However, despite Attal’s efforts to open new avenues of reform, the political landscape remained unchanged in parliament.
While Gabriel Attal has been actively pursuing various reforms such as in unemployment insurance, end-of-life care, and juvenile justice, he has struggled to make a substantial impact on Macron’s presidency. Despite his past successes in education policy, Attal has faced challenges in translating his words into action and achieving concrete results in the short term. As a result, public perception of his effectiveness may be diminishing, with many French citizens feeling like nothing is changing in their country’s politics.
The European election campaign led by Gabriel Attal has faced difficulties, with Macron’s party trailing behind the far-right RN in polls. Attal initially remained aloof from the campaign, much to Macron’s frustration, but has since become more involved in the electoral process. With the threat of a motion of censure looming in the fall, Attal has shifted his focus towards political action, aiming to leave his mark on the government before potentially losing his position as Prime Minister.
Despite Macron’s hopes of using Attal’s popularity to boost his own, the opposite has occurred, with the Prime Minister’s image suffering from the President’s unpopularity. This has created a challenging dynamic within the government, as Macron’s struggles with public opinion continue to impact his ability to govern effectively. Additionally, Attal’s efforts to engage with the public and drive political change have been met with skepticism, as many question his ability to deliver on his promises.
As the future of Macron’s presidency remains uncertain, the current focus is on Gabriel Attal and his efforts to navigate the challenges of government and the upcoming European elections. Whether Attal can successfully revitalize Macron’s presidency and position the government for success in the future remains to be seen. The next few months will be crucial in determining the trajectory of Macron’s presidency and the legacy he leaves behind.
