Gabriel Attal delivers his general policy declaration on Tuesday, where he will present his program for the middle classes and discuss the ecological transition, a balancing act at a time when thousands of farmers are blocking the roads, particularly around Paris.
Imprint your style, present your method
This speech before the National Assembly, which all Prime Ministers give even if they are not obliged to do so, allows them to stamp their style and present their method. However that of Gabriel Attal, based on “action” and “results”, with a lot of travel on the ground, is already being tested by farmers, who consider his first measures insufficient and continue to block the roads including access to the capital.
In the region, “visible but non-violent actions” by farmers should accompany his speech which he will deliver from 3:00 p.m., a police source indicated Monday evening.
The government tries to appease the anger of farmers and promises “new measures”
The government is trying to calm the revolt and promises “new measures” on Tuesday, after a second meeting Monday evening in Matignon between Gabriel Attal and representatives of the FNSEA and Young Farmers.
The battle will also be fought at the European level. Emmanuel Macron will meet Thursday in Brussels with the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen about this crisis. They are expected to talk about the trade agreement being negotiated between the EU and Mercosur, fallows imposed on farmers and imports of Ukrainian products into the Union.
Intense pressure as the European elections approach
The pressure from the oppositions is intense as the European elections approach. Raphaël Glucksmann, likely head of the Socialist Party list, deemed the anger of farmers “legitimate” whose situation is “first and foremost linked to unjust public policies”, advocating “European ecological protectionism”.
The president and head of the National Rally list Jordan Bardella, favorite in the June 9 election, called on Emmanuel Macron to defend French farmers against “German cars” in the negotiations between the EU and Mercosur.
Gabriel Attal will address the middle classes
Beyond the farmers, whose “passion” and “commitment” he praised and whom he associates with the “French identity”, Gabriel Attal will try to meet the expectations of the middle classes, “those who cannot count only about their job and have the feeling of receiving nothing in return. He will talk to them about “authority”, “work”, but also about “public services” such as education and health.
Despite the agricultural crisis, he will try to address ecology, accused of being the poor relation of the new government. For the Prime Minister, it is a question of “getting out of the sterile debates between growth and climate” and building “a new model of growth, because ecology creates jobs”, according to Mr. Attal.
But the political context remains unchanged: the young Prime Minister is deprived, like his predecessor Elisabeth Borne, of an absolute majority in the Assembly.
The left promises to table the first motion of censure against the Attal government
After his speech, the left, united for the occasion, promised to table the first motion of censure against the government – which has little chance of being adopted without the right. The objective is to protest against Gabriel Attal’s choice not to seek a vote of confidence.
In this regard, the independent Liot deputies will table a constitutional bill which aims to oblige prime ministers to submit to such a vote within 10 days after the appointment of the government.
Wind up against the announced increases in medical deductibles and electricity prices, the oppositions believe that Emmanuel Macron has largely reduced the room for maneuver of his new head of government, by detailing future measures during his press conference from January 17.
The Head of State had made numerous announcements for “a fairer and stronger France” around his concept of “rearmament”, emphasizing young people with the return of uniforms to schools and the regulation of screens. . But he had not specified the outlines of new economic and social reforms, which Gabriel Attal could detail.
The Prime Minister will speak before a tight government of 14 members, pending the appointment of delegate ministers and secretaries of state, planned for this week. Like his predecessor, and out of respect for the senators, he will go to the upper house on Wednesday to deliver a dedicated speech.