A general policy speech that nobody was expecting anything from... And it lived up to every expectation

3.7M

The general policy speech of a new Prime Minister is always a delicate moment. It is generally both about setting a direction for several years and about giving a new boost.

It is also necessary to avoid a pre-Verd inventory that is nevertheless complete. And naturally, under no circumstances should one walk on the President’s shoulders; especially when one has no political autonomy and is somehow reduced to the rank of Director of the Presidential Cabinet.

For Gabriel Attal, the political conditions were biased. In fact, the press conference of the President of the Republic was, in reality, already a general political speech (our editorial in du 17 January on geopolitics.fr). As for the new breath of fresh air, it was obvious that it was stifled. Appointed at the end of the term, in a context of political crisis and simply reconvening the most important ministers in identical positions, the replacement of Elisabeth Borne by Gabriel Attal more closely resembles a technical reshuffle than a change of government. All those who enabled the rise of the young Prime Minister were thanked, with the exception of Brigitte Macron, in a last glimmer of decency.

There is no political stake either; the Prime Minister, aware that he has less of a majority than ever before, has not taken any risks whatsoever. Political responsibility and respect for the French vote are obsolete. The eternal ploy of reaching out to the right in an attempt to build a majority through deceit, without any transparency and not through a government pact, is also being continued.

It all rests on the hope that the right will continue to serve as a crutch (for how long?) for a Macronism whose hope of redemption is more than faint. Thus, we have been subjected to all the clichés that are supposed to be the hallmarks of the right, version 2007, since the latter is incapable of questioning itself and renewing itself. Until when? The French right, if it continues in this way, will have no choice but to, without transition, pass from Macronism’s auxiliary force to that of the National Rally.