Overview
- Gabriel Attal said on Wednesday that the June 9, 2024 dissolution of the National Assembly sparked political instability that he says 'nearly wrecked' the French economy.
- Attal cited concrete figures to make his case, saying French borrowing costs rose from about 1.2–1.5% when he was prime minister to roughly 4.5% today, growth fell from near 2% to almost zero, and unemployment climbed from about 7.5% to around 9%.
- He defended his fiscal record by pointing to INSEE data and the fact that public debt exceeded €3,000 billion in 2024 while saying the state reduced spending that year for the first time in 15 years.
- The remarks are part of Attal’s 2027 presidential bid to distance himself from Emmanuel Macron’s legacy and sharpen responsibility over the economic downturn, a strategy that follows polling showing Édouard Philippe ahead in some surveys.
- Former finance minister Bruno Le Maire publicly echoed Attal’s framing and Attal proposed using artificial intelligence in government and targeted social‑spending savings as tools to restore productivity and fiscal stability.