It was a speech that almost ended up being long overdue. Three weeks after his appointment to Matignon by Emmanuel Macron, Gabriel Attal delivered his general policy speech to the National Assembly this Tuesday, January 30. While the left has tabled a motion of censure which should in principle not succeed, the Prime Minister was able to specify the “major orientations” that he wishes to give to his new government, the final casting of which should be completed in the coming days . “French agricultural exception”, work and salary, ecological transition… A look back at the main declarations of Gabriel Attal to the National Assembly.
A “French agricultural exception”
Plunged into an intense crisis in the agricultural world, Prime Minister Gabriel Attal assured that there must “be a French agricultural exception”, and promised that the government would be “there, without any ambiguity” to respond to demands movement. “Our agriculture is our strength, and our pride too,” said the head of government. “So I say it here solemnly: there must be a French agricultural exception,” he declared.
The Prime Minister also saluted “our farmers, our fishermen, who work morning, noon and evening to feed us”. Faced with his first crisis since his appointment, the head of government announced a first set of measures last Friday, without this really calming the anger. “Removing standards is possible: last Friday, I announced the removal of 10 national standards for our farmers – and many others will follow!” assured Gabriel Attal.
A future reform for low wages
To “de-microcardiate” France, Gabriel Attal announced a reform on low wages. “We have a minimum wage significantly higher than that of our neighbors and we are proud of it. But we have a proportion of our workers close to the minimum wage, much higher than our neighbors. It is a problem,” said the Prime Minister.
“We must evolve a system which has led us, for decades, to concentrate our aid, our exemptions, at the level of the minimum wage,” declared the head of government, assuring that “yes, I assume to say it, it France must be ‘de-microcardialized’. “As of the next finance bill, we will begin to reform this system,” he continued.
Make “pay” for missed medical appointments
Gabriel Attal said he was “ready” to restore “on-call obligations” for private doctors in poorly staffed departments and to “pay” patients who do not honor their appointments.
“It is unbearable to have patients every day who have appointments and who do not show up. […] I want a simple principle that translates into clear measures this year. When we have an appointment with the doctor and we don’t come without warning, we pay”, he insisted. Still on health, the Prime Minister finally announced that an emissary would be appointed to go ” look abroad for doctors who would like to come and practice in France.
A “regulatory” reform of State Medical Aid “before summer”
Gabriel Attal announced a reform of State Medical Aid (AME), “before the summer”, and “by regulatory means” before the deputies. The head of government assured that he would keep “the commitment” of his predecessor Elisabeth Borne, “to reform state medical aid” for undocumented foreigners.
Elisabeth Borne had promised it to the right during the negotiations on the immigration bill. “We will do it before the summer by regulatory means”, on the basis of the report by former PS minister Claude Evin and Patrick Stefanini, LR figure, he said.
Merit pay for civil servants postponed to the “second half”
Gabriel Attal noted the postponement to the “second half” of the civil service reform, a text initially announced for February and which should in particular expand the possibilities of paying civil servants on merit. “We will act for our civil servants, who enable the State to move forward and are committed to serving the general interest, by integrating their merit and their efforts into their remuneration,” declared the head of government, adding that a “bill will be tabled in the second half of this year”.
Announced in September 2023 by former Minister of the Civil Service Stanislas Guerini, the reform was to be presented to the Council of Ministers in February. But she had fallen behind with the change of government, the Civil Service portfolio having been vacant since the resignation of the team led by Elisabeth Borne.
“Continue the ramp-up of our nuclear fleet”
Prime Minister Gabriel Attal assured that the Flamanville EPR, construction of which has been ongoing since 2007, would be “operational” this year, during his general policy speech to the National Assembly.
“We will continue to ramp up our nuclear fleet, invest massively in programs. And this year, the Flamanville EPR will be operational,” said Mr. Attal, who said he was proud “to be at the head of a pro-nuclear energy government.
“My door will always be open” to opposition
Gabriel Attal declared to the opposition that “(his) door will always be open” and that he will “never give up dialogue” with them. “We have a majority that I salute, to whom I want to express my confidence and my loyalty. But this majority is relative, and the French are waiting for us to stop quarreling over principles to exchange and act together,” declared the Prime Minister at the Palais Bourbon.
“Through you, ladies and gentlemen, opposition deputies, these are the voices of millions of French people who are expressing themselves […] This is also the method that I want for my government: to respect the French, to respect the opposition, to respect our Parliament,” he announced to the National Assembly, calling for an end to “the quarrels over principles.”