On his second trip, Gabriel Attal makes “safety” and “order” one of his absolute priorities.

The tone has been set. On the occasion of his second visit as new Prime Minister, Gabriel Attal this Wednesday made “security” and “order” one of his absolute priorities, demonstrating good understanding with Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin. The latter accompanied him to the Hermont police station (Val-d’Oise). “I cannot imagine a society without order and rules,” the head of government insisted, deciding to make power one of his trademarks, as it had previously been in the field of education.

“The French want to live quietly and peacefully in our country,” he added, referring to urban unrest in the summer of 2023 that also affected Ermont. “They expect us to continue this absolute effort to ensure their safety,” he insisted.

Discussions about a new government continue

Gabriel Attal has also been careful to project his authority at a time when many question his future room for maneuver in the face of more experienced ministers already seeking to succeed the republic’s President Emmanuel Macron. The Prime Minister and the outgoing Home Secretary, whose presence seemed to confirm his reappointment, were smiling.

Even though Gérald Darmanin was sometimes in the background and looked disadvantaged, behind Gabriel Attal. The day after his appointment, the new tenant of Matignon also continued discussions with the head of state about the future composition of the government.

The two chief executives met over lunch for two hours. They already talked until 2 am on the night from Tuesday to Wednesday. According to sources in the executive branch, the composition of the future government could be announced as early as this Thursday, at least at the level of full ministers. As for the secretaries of state, this will happen later. Even if the timing remains highly uncertain.

Bruno Le Maire should stay too

There could be anywhere from 12 to 16 full-time ministers, the current number, with full parity between men and women, which complicates the situation given the overrepresentation of men among potential ministers. At the Élysée Palace, as at Matignon, nothing leaked through either the casting or the announcement calendar other than “the desire to act quickly.”

In anticipation of the white smoke, names began to circulate. Bruno Le Maire, another heavyweight who might have been uneasy with the young Attal’s appointment at Matignon, remains at Bercy, as do Eric Dupont-Moretti at Justice and Sebastien Lecornu at Armed Forces. Solidarity Minister Aurore Berger could be appointed as Minister of National Education to replace Gabriel Attal. But the name of Stanislas Guerini, the current Minister of the Civil Service, is also mentioned.

Having become the youngest prime minister in the history of the republic at 34, the short-lived minister of national education will shape his government team under the banner of the “rearmament” and “renaissance” desired by Emmanuel Macron. “Gabriel, I have known him from the beginning (…) He is brave, he is courageous, he is a man of action”, for her part supported the First Lady Brigitte Macron on TF1 this Wednesday at noon.