These are two young political personalities who emerged in the frenzy of the between-two-turns. Two representatives of a new generation … that everything opposes: Gabriel Attal, 33, a former Socialist Party activist and close to Emmanuel Macron, is now Secretary of State and government spokesperson. Jordan Bardella, 26, was entrusted by Marine Le Pen with the presidency of the National Rally during the electoral campaign. “Special Envoy” followed them throughout these two weeks of April 2022. In this extract, the two lieutenants prepare for their third face-to-face between the two rounds.
On the side of La République en Marche, Gabriel Attal and his entourage of thirty-somethings refine the arguments and seek formulas that will hit the mark. “If tomorrow Marine Le Pen were elected President of the Republic, launches G. Attal, who will applaud in the world? Bolsonaro, Trump, Orban, Duda and Poutine… It’s the fantastic five, there… I think it has to be said!” And of course, we try to anticipate the blows. From an adversary, who has “always the same angles of attack”, we expect “a little stroke of McKinsey”.
The issue of pensions at the heart of the face-to-face
At the National Rally campaign headquarters, Jordan Bardella is also preparing, surrounded by the party’s communications director, his parliamentary collaborator and the social media manager. “A generation of young people from the FNJ (National Youth Front), young people from Dupont-Aignan and the Young People’s Right“who finished”by getting together, by working together“. Here, we plan to reserving this question for the opposing camp (“It’s my running gag“, says J. Bardella): “Why in the LREM model, in the vision of society they have and in their pension reform, does a liberal nurse have to contribute longer than a manager who has bac + 5?“
As expected, this issue, and more broadly that of pensions, was the occasion for a clash between the two lieutenants during their face-to-face on France Inter, April 17, 2022. Before they cede the place to the leaders for the ultimate fight…
Extract from “The two lieutenants”, a report to see in “Special Envoy” on April 21, 2022.
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