On January 19, Jordan Bardella met with Gabriel Attal, the newly appointed Prime Minister, for a meeting. Bardella, the president of the National Rally (RN), asked Attal about life at Matignon, showing interest in the private apartments. Bardella, who is the RN’s lead candidate for the European elections, will participate in a televised debate with Attal on May 23. This debate is seen as a highlight of the campaign and aims to engage Macronist voters who may be hesitant to vote on June 9.
The debate is seen as a win-win situation as Attal aims to challenge Bardella, whom he refers to as the “man without a program,” to mobilize Macronist voters. Attal hopes to gain a strong political advantage from a potential victory in the debate. However, it is Bardella who stands to gain the most from the debate. Despite being in the lead in the polls, Bardella’s position is elevated by this high-profile confrontation with the Prime Minister. Some in the majority see this debate as a gift to the RN, as it sidelines other candidates from parties such as the Greens and the Republicans.
Above Bardella and Attal, there is Emmanuel Macron directing the scene. Macron requested the Prime Minister to confront the far-right leader as part of his strategy of bipolarization. In the 2019 European elections, Macron capitalized on the breakdown of the left-right divide, defining the contest between “populists” and “progressives” to ensure his political survival. Now, five years later, Macron is reviving the narrative of “good” versus “bad” to activate the traditional Republican front. Despite previous attempts by Macron’s party to move away from this narrative, the President now aims to leverage it for political gain.
In 2022, Macron refused to debate with other presidential candidates, focusing on a potential second-round contest with Marine Le Pen. He strategically weakened traditional parties, such as the right, by adopting their ideas. During the campaign, concerns were raised within the Republican party about Macron’s focus on attacking Valérie Pécresse while sparing Marine Le Pen. This strategy was seen as risky and could lead to a “democratic accident”. Macron’s approach to positioning himself against the far-right has created an ambiguous political game that will play out in the upcoming televised debate.
Overall, the upcoming debate between Bardella and Attal is highly anticipated as it represents a crucial moment in the current political landscape of France. The outcome of this debate could have significant implications for the European elections and the broader political future of the country. With Macron pulling the strings in the background, the stage is set for a dramatic confrontation that could reshape the dynamics of the political scene in France.
