Macron's political heir distances himself from Euro-friendly tone

Gabriel Attal launched his campaign for the 2027 French presidential election over the weekend, seeking to establish himself as Emmanuel Macron’s heir. European flags fluttered alongside the French Tricolore during his speech, yet Europe featured only marginally in his vision for France.

The address by the politician, who stems from the same political party as the current president marks a notable omission for a leading figure of Macron’s pro-European camp. That is particularly notable considering his close ties to EU Industry Commissioner Stéphane Séjourné, who previously served under Attal in government, according to Euractiv's analysis.

Experts say Attal appears to be quietly moving away from the European agenda that has long been central to Macron’s political vision.

Ahead of Attal’s speech, Ukrainian lawmaker Lesia Vasylenko called on the French public to show “wisdom and courage” by backing strong leadership, while Valérie Hayer dedicated part of her address to defending the European project.

Attal, however, largely avoided the subject. Instead, he unveiled a platform centered on four priorities: education, wages, borders, and artificial intelligence. Europe featured only briefly, mainly through references to Franco-German reconciliation and France’s role on the continent.

Rather than focusing on European issues, he concentrated on domestic concerns, highlighting France’s productivity gap with the United States and dismissing what he described as unproductive debates over raising or lowering the retirement age.

Relying on a series of familiar campaign-style slogans — “for wages, it’s straight to gross pay”, “a country that no longer controls its borders no longer controls its destiny”, and “France will be the homeland of artificial intelligence” — Attal sought to present himself as the natural heir to the political center in the post-Macron era.

Yet at the same time, the article's observation was that the former prime minister appeared eager to draw a distinction between himself and the president, delivering what many interpreted as a thinly veiled critique of Macron’s governing style.

“The exercise of power either confines or enlightens,” Attal said. “Either it traps you in the stubborn belief that you alone are right, or it sheds light on France,” in an apparent reference to Macron’s frequently criticized leadership approach.

As observers note, Attal is entering the race at a particularly turbulent moment in French politics. President Emmanuel Macron remains unpopular, public finances are under pressure amid one of the European Union’s largest budget deficits, and support for both the far-right Rassemblement National and the hard-left La France Insoumise remains strong.

With the first round of the presidential election scheduled for April 2027, analysts say the contest is already shaping up to be a battle over an increasingly polarized France.

By Nazrin Sadigova