Get out of your own caricature. Since he has been at Matignon, as before being appointed there, Gabriel Attal has not skimped on the communication that he wants to be the most innovative. On Wednesday April 17 again, he calls out, on TikTok, to the youngest of his fellow citizens, on the occasion of his first 100 days as Prime Minister: “I suggest you ask questions in the comments of this video and I will answer the questions as more likes.” We do not remember that Pierre Messmer acted in this way. Just as we don’t remember Edouard Balladur posing in jeans, sneakers and a t-shirt on the steps of the Matignon hotel while petting a chow-chow, a photo immediately posted on Instagram. All that remains in memory is the slightly ridiculous photo of Jacques Chirac in 1987, sitting cross-legged with a walk-man over his ears but with thin black socks betraying the disguise.
But Gabriel Attal has another ambition, more classic, more traditional: to restore the nobility of political speeches. And therefore be there where we do not necessarily expect the youngest Prime Minister of the Fifth Republic. On October 5, 2023, he is still Minister of National Education, this does not prevent him from taking care and solemnizing the framework of his intervention: tricolor and European flags on the side, desk with the slogan “united for our school” , prestigious place. On the esplanade of the François Mitterrand library in Paris, he gave a speech on the teaching profession, in which he announced the launch of a “knowledge requirement” mission, which would lead to the famous “knowledge shock” with its level groups which the new Minister of Education, Nicole Belloubet, does not want to hear. “All this lacks simplicity,” grumble some Macronists. He doesn’t care, he thinks about his brand.
“Long live the youth of France, long live the Republic and long live France!” : blue-white-red desk like that of Emmanuel Macron or François Mitterrand, European and tricolor flags again and again, the head of government does it again this Thursday, April 18, in Viry-Châtillon, where Shemseddine, 15 years old, was killed , beaten up near his school. “It’s about our entire society, our entire country, it’s the French that I would like to talk about,” he announces straight away. His speech is broadcast live on BFMTV, LCI, CNews, Franceinfo, a sign that he still succeeds in arousing interest and curiosity.
At Matignon, words are worth less than results
The emphasis is never far away – “Today it is the Republic which counterattacks” -, the martial formulas never rare – “The culture of excuses is over” -, the quotes are drawn from among the greatest, De Gaulle and Jaurès. His ode to authority is contradicted by the president’s record, so he takes care to quote him in almost every sentence. Exactly as for the mission on knowledge announced in front of the François Mitterrand Library, he leaves “eight weeks” for the consultation on the violence of minors. “We would have preferred a first bill on housing rather than on juvenile justice,” grumble some Macronists. He doesn’t care, he thinks about his brand.
The advantage of speeches is that they allow the message desired by the author to be delivered to the nearest comma. The disadvantage of speeches is that they leave traces and sometimes turn against their author. The famous haystack, the setting for another speech, the one addressed to the agricultural world on January 26, remained in the throat of several players in the sector, and did not completely facilitate, beyond the first positive effect , the solution to the crisis.
Politics is talking, said Philippe Séguin in his time. Who had never been Prime Minister. In Matignon, and even more today than in the past, words are worth less than results. This is why the rehabilitation of discourses attempted by Gabriel Attal is a bet: I speak, therefore I act.