If the popularity of Prime Minister Gabriel Attal is at its highest, his complementarity with Emmanuel Macron raises questions. Will the “clone” of the head of state be able to stand out?
The Macron-Attal couple stands out. This president-Prime Minister duo is the youngest in the history of the Fifth Republic. Often described as a “clone” of the head of state, Gabriel Attal enjoys a good popularity rating. The French place it at the top of the new barometer Point – Cluster 17 with 39% favorable opinions, made up of 24 sympathy points and 15 support points. A profile that pleases, therefore, but which does not appear to be the most complementary.
“Aren’t the two men too similar?”
Gabriel Attal is a “situational number two” in the words of Jean-Pierre Raffarin. A political prodigy propelled Prime Minister at just 34 years old. In fact, it is difficult to estimate the real contribution of Gabriel Attal toEmmanuel Macron. He does not have a “joker” card that would allow him to cultivate his complementarity with the president. Where Jean-Pierre Raffarin brought the province to Jacques Chirac, and Jean-Marc Ayrault the PS parliamentarians chaired for 15 years by François Hollande, Gabriel Attal managed several ministerial portfolios, without ever settling there permanently. He also didn’t have a major crisis to deal with.
“Aren’t the two men too similar, which poses a risk of a lack of diversity at the head of state. How will they distribute roles? What room for maneuver will the new Prime Minister have? It is known that Emmanuel Macron does not really like being overshadowed” declares journalist Patrice Duhamel in the columns of Point. Indeed, Gabriel Attal will have the difficult task of capturing the light without overshadowing the head of state. His growing popularity could also push polling institutes to take an interest in his case for the next presidential election in 2027. The management of the executive couple could then become more delicate.
The spontaneity advantage of Gabriel Attal
One thing is certain, there is trust between the two men. “We are returning to the original macronism. Gabriel Attal is undoubtedly the most in harmony with the presidential thinking of the four Prime Ministers who succeeded one another at the Hôtel Matignon” assures Alain Duhamel. If the management of the next hot issues such as the reform of the AME, the meeting on January 25 at the Constitutional Council on the immigration law and the arrival of the European elections in June will not be easy, Gabriel Attal reveals more spontaneity compared to Emmanuel Macron. “He has a sense of local contact, we feel that he likes it. He seems less disconnected than Emmanuel Macron, in any case, it’s more spontaneous with him.” This is why the two men could still constitute a duo that is as unique as it is complementary.