Gabriel Attal finally wants to confront Jordan Bardella. A month and a half before the Europeans, the one who refused to debate with the head of the RN list has changed his tune.
A month and a half before the European elections, Gabriel Attal makes an about-face. At the end of February, while proposing a debate to Marine Le Pen on agriculture, the Prime Minister nevertheless refused to face Jordan Bardella. He justified himself by recalling that he was not the head of the list and should speak more to the one who led the RN group to the National Assembly. According to The Parisian, the head of government has now changed his mind. This Monday morning, during the traditional coordination meeting with some members of the government, Gabriel Attal would have slipped this very clear statement on the subject: “probably I will agree to have a debate with Bardella”.
This reaction would follow Jordan Bardella’s press conference: “this is the umpteenth time that he has shied away, that he has refused to answer. I will not shirk,” he explained. As reported RMC, officially, it is a way of “putting Jordan Bardella face to face with his responsibilities”, according to a minister. The president of the RN refused to participate in three debates for Europeans. This turnaround also appears as a message of response to internal criticism, accusing the Prime Minister of not being involved enough. “We sense annoyance among the activists. We cannot have sold it as the anti-Bardella weapon and not see it at all,” said a member of the majority.
Emmanuel Macron would also have pushed his right arm in this direction: “he should not be at the head of the second list, but he must still commit a little”, analyzes a close friend of the president. For some, this would be an offensive entry by Gabriel Attal into the European campaign, as was noted by the president with his speech on Europe. The latter, however, assured that it was not a campaign speech.
An offensive to rescue Hayer?
Gabriel Attal then planned to bring together members of the government and the majority leaders on Tuesday evening. A possible rallying call as Jordan Bardella increasingly distances Valérie Hayer in the polls. A face-to-face meeting will also take place between the two heads of the list on BFMTV this Thursday, May 2. According to’AFPhowever, no date is planned for the debate between Attal and Bardella, nor even the format.
The leader of the RN had also reiterated this Sunday on France 3 his desire to debate with the head of government. “I renew my invitation to a democratic confrontation, to a debate with the leader of the presidential majority, our project against their vision,” he declared. He also announced that Marine Le Pen would “enter the campaign” alongside him in the coming days. She will be in penultimate position on her list.