La Macronie continues to draw parallels between Gabriel Attal and Edouard Philippe with a view to the 2027 presidential election and the Prime Minister could overshadow his predecessor.
Each intervention by Gabriel Attal is an opportunity for Macronie to extol the merits of the man who could be the head of state’s foe in the 2027 presidential election. It is above all an opportunity to overshadow a possibly candidacy of Edouard Philippe. The former Prime Minister of Emmanuel Macron does not hide his interest in the next presidential election in which the Head of State, with two mandates, will not be able to run again. But now, the presidential camp does not seem keen on the idea of making the mayor of Le Havre the successor to Emmanuel Macron and the young Gabriel Attal, chosen by the President of the Republic to settle in Matignon, appears prominently to be the successor to Macronie. According to some political commentators PoliticoGabriel Attal himself would have “the intention of eating Edouard Philippe”.
Attal “outdatedness” Philippe
The expression that Gabriel Attal “outdated” Edouard Philippe has often come up since the appointment of the new Prime Minister at Matignon. It must be said that both having been heads of government, the comparison is now simpler. The style of the thirty-year-old recognized as a brilliant communicator and that of the enarch and high official have indeed nothing to do with each other. In terms of form, the point seems to go to Attal who has increased his travels and speaking engagements since his arrival at the head of government. Even a member of the right confided to Politico find Attal “terribly less boring” than his predecessor. Basically, it is still too early to judge, although the new Prime Minister is already facing his first social crisis with the farmers’ movement. Edouard Philippe, for his part, had to deal with the Yellow Vest crisis and the start of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Gabriel Attal supplants Edouard Philippe among the French
If Edouard Philippe is closely monitored by Macronie it is because he has been at the top of the popularity barometers for several months, with a comfortable lead over Emmanuel Macron. But the arrival of Gabriel Attal among the leading political figures changes the situation. The thirty-year-old also enjoys great popularity and has even dethroned the mayor of Le Havre in the latest Odoxa-Mascaret barometerPublic Senate–La Dépêche du Midi, published on January 30. For the first time, Gabriel Attal emerges as the favorite political figure of the French with 44% support, four points more than Edouard Philippe relegated to second place. This is a progression of seven points recorded by the current head of government.
The Prime Minister is also the political figure who arouses the least rejection: only 28% of French people say they reject Gabriel Attal, compared to 31% for Edouard Philippe who is hot on the heels of the young Macronist. Figures which suggest that the competition could be tougher than expected for the mayor of Le Havre even if until 2027 the road is still long.