All posts tagged: Gabriel Attal

Le sommet Choose France a-t-il un avenir après Macron ?

Le sommet Choose France a-t-il un avenir après Macron ?

Published by Sam Flores

PARIS — Comme chaque année depuis 2018, quelques centaines de dirigeants d’entreprise triés sur le volet défileront, lundi, entre la galerie des Glaces, la galerie des Batailles et les jardins du château de Versailles. Au programme, avant un grand dîner mitonné par un chef étoilé : des milliards d’investissements pour un montant record, des “speed-datings” entre PDG et membres du gouvernement, une keynote de Thomas Pesquet et, probablement pour la dernière fois de cette présidence, la traditionnelle allocution d’Emmanuel Macron. Sauf surprise, le président ne pourra pas organiser de dernier sommet au printemps 2027, quelques semaines avant de quitter l’Elysée — interrogé sur cette éventualité, le Palais ne se risque pas à répondre franchement et se contente d’affirmer que “la marque Choose France a encore de beaux jours devant elle”. C’est dire si le chef de l’Etat est attaché à cet événement, symbole d’une présidence qui se veut “pro-business”, ouverte aux capitaux étrangers, capable d’attirer Elon Musk, Carlos Slim, Lakshmi Mittal, Satya Nadella ou encore Jamie Dimon dans les salons de Versailles, comme Louis XIV …

Attal highlights break with Macron in first rally in French presidential bid – POLITICO

Attal highlights break with Macron in first rally in French presidential bid – POLITICO

Published by Sam Flores

His campaign mirrors the very successful campaign of centrist liberal Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten in October 2025, which focused on optimism about the future and prioritizing the young generations, while exalting a sense of national pride. “My first promise is that we will once again become Europe’s leading power within six years. That is our rank, our place, our destiny,” he said, also vowing to make France the leading European country in artificial intelligence. Attal is following incumbent French President Emmanuel Macron as the presidential candidate of the centrist liberal Renaissance party, which he heads. After almost 10 years of Macron governments and dwindling popularity, Attal is seeking to distance himself from Macron to frame his candidacy as one of change and reform. The 37-year-old politician served as prime minister under Macron from January-September 2024. He was the youngest prime minister in French history and the first openly gay. The latest polls put Attal in fourth place at 13 percent of popular vote, preceded by far-right French Rally candidate Jordan Bardella, center-right Édouard Philippe, …

French poll sees far-right Bardella winning, far-left Mélenchon surging in 2027 election – POLITICO

French poll sees far-right Bardella winning, far-left Mélenchon surging in 2027 election – POLITICO

Published by Sam Flores

Mélenchon qualifying for the two-candidate runoff next year is seen as a nightmare scenario by most of France’s political center-right and center-left, because polling predicts he would lose heavily to the far right. The Odoxa poll showed the leader of France Unbowed winning 16 percent of the vote in the first round, up from 12 percent in a similar poll conducted last month. The poll placed him virtually level with Philippe, who slipped to 17 percent from 21 percent. Mélenchon was also the most popular left-wing politician among left-wing voters, ahead of rivals such as former President François Hollande and MEP Raphaël Glucksmann. Some 49 percent of left-wing voters supported Mélenchon, compared to 43 percent for Hollande and 36 percent for Glucksmann, the poll said. “For Édouard Philippe, this poll in May is sounding alarm bells, with a double hit … that shows him dropping behind Bardella in the second round and within range of Mélenchon,” wrote Odoxa head Gaël Sliman. An Odoxa poll published in November projected that the National Rally leader would beat …

Former PM Philippe launches presidential campaign to take on far right in France – POLITICO

Former PM Philippe launches presidential campaign to take on far right in France – POLITICO

Published by Sam Flores

Philippe has in recent weeks faced accusations he was being too quiet and running an overly low-profile campaign. According to early polling, he looked to be comfortably the best-placed centrist candidate to beat the far right in the next presidential election. But more recent polling suggested his lead over former Prime Minister Gabriel Attal and conservative leader Bruno Retailleau was narrowing. Both been campaigning hard to overtake Philippe. During his hour-long speech in Reims, Philippe sketched out his aims for the campaign, hitting several conservative hot-button topics: lowering taxes on turnover for French companies, slashing red tape, rebalancing the state pension system and fighting crime and drug trafficking. According to party officials, one of Philippe’s short-term objectives will be to unite the center right around his candidacy, and particularly the conservatives, before trying to widen his appeal.  “I came from the right … I’m not going to apologize,” said Philippe, who is a former member of the conservative Les Républicains party. “And I know where I am, at the head of a rightwing party, and the mayor …

The clock is ticking on the EU’s next budget – POLITICO

The clock is ticking on the EU’s next budget – POLITICO

Published by Sam Flores

Brussels faces a narrowing window to strike a deal on its next long-term budget. EU leaders gather in Cyprus this week for a potential clash over the bloc’s €1.8 trillion plan — already dividing north and south, farmers and reformers, capitals and Brussels. Council President Antonio Costa wants momentum. But with proposed new EU taxes, debt repayments and looming elections on the table, compromise looks distant. On today’s episode, Ian Wishart and Ryan Heath break down what’s at stake — and why this battle is only just beginning. They also dig into the Commission’s new emergency energy package, as fears of a new crisis grow — driven by the war in Iran and disruption to oil flows through the Strait of Hormuz. Plus: A rekindled Paris–Brussels romance raises awkward questions about power, politics and conflicts of interest. Got a question or a comment? Contact us on WhatsApp here or at +32 491 05 06 29. Further reading: Source link

Questions loom over EU commissioner’s romantic relationship with French presidential hopeful – POLITICO

Questions loom over EU commissioner’s romantic relationship with French presidential hopeful – POLITICO

Published by Sam Flores

Asked whether the pair got back together after Macron called a snap election in 2024, Attal said: “Yes, we never really lost track of one another … we carried on talking as if we didn’t want the break-up to be total and become a reality. I feel extremely lucky,” he added. But the renewal of their romantic relationship could turn into a potential conflict of interest, given Attal’s national ambitions in France. The former PM, who is a lawmaker and leader of Macron’s Renaissance Party, made no secret of his intention to run in the next presidential election. Attal is kicking off a tour of France and will hold a campaign rally in Paris at the end of May. In an interview with the weekly Le Point, he said he knows “how to preside [over] France” and is working on proposals on health, constitutional reform and labor relations. As a European commissioner, Séjourné swore an oath upon taking office to prioritize the bloc’s interests and be independent of national matters. His term runs beyond 2027 …

Former French PM best placed to beat far right in 2027 presidential race, poll shows – POLITICO

Former French PM best placed to beat far right in 2027 presidential race, poll shows – POLITICO

Published by Sam Flores

The various scenarios polled by Elabe showed Philippe netting as much as 25.5 percent of the vote depending on which other candidates feature in the race, far better than any leftist candidate or Philippe’s centrist and center-right rivals. The survey shows the National Rally retaining its place as France’s most popular political party and its candidate on track to comfortably qualify for the runoff in the country’s two-round voting system. Both Bardella and Le Pen come in ahead of the second-place finisher in all scenarios tested, often by double digits. The poll also tested voter intentions for the second round of the vote, which showed a potential tight race. Philippe defeats Le Pen in a head-to-head matchup 53 percent to 47 percent. If he were to face Bardella, that shrinks to 51.5 percent to 48.5 percent — within the margin of error. In the last survey taken of second-round scenarios in November, Bardella was seen beating all his challengers from the center-right to the hard left. Far-right figures have publicly dismissed the poll, and with …

Bardella’s main rival for French presidency risks crashing out of race – POLITICO

Bardella’s main rival for French presidency risks crashing out of race – POLITICO

Published by Sam Flores

It will also be a grave personal disappointment for Philippe, who has long held ambitions to run for the Élysée. As prime minister from 2017 to 2020 he steered France through the Covid pandemic, but was ultimately sidelined by Macron when the president wanted to give his government a “new direction,” a decision that many in the administration believed was due to Philippe’s higher popularity ratings. This month’s local elections are an opportunity to launch his campaign ahead of the 2027 presidential race. But Philippe now risks slipping up before he even reaches the starting line. A shock poll from OpinionWay landed last month and predicted that Philippe could be squeezed out by the far right and far left in the second round of the contest in Le Havre. Philippe was seen winning only 40 percent, pipped by the Communist Jean-Paul Lecoq on 42 percent. Franck Keller, backed by the RN, was set to win 18 percent. Former Prime Minister Édouard Philippe could see his presidential ambitions dashed if he doesn’t get the backing of …