With the promise of a “real burst of authority”, Gabriel Attal provokes the ire of the opposition

Two weeks after the death of a 15-year-old boy who was beaten, the Prime Minister's announcements provoked numerous reactions in the political class. On the right, we criticize the “bullshit” or even the “commentator number” of the Prime Minister. The non-registered deputy for Essonne Nicolas Dupont-Aignan was the first to criticize Gabriel Attal's speech on his X account: “Again and always the same spiel! The essential thing is forgotten: real criminal sanctions for juvenile offenders. Gabriel Attal does not want to lower the criminal majority and launches the study of half-measures under the aegis of Dupond-Moretti, who never wanted to do anything. Tragicomedy."

The strong man of the Republicans in the Senate, Bruno Retailleau, quickly followed suit: “On juvenile delinquency, the Prime Minister missed the subject. It is impossible for him to go beyond the findings and measures already seen. It's been seven years since Emmanuel Macron was elected, and we are announcing a new debate! The measures mentioned will not be enough. We must dare a penal revolution. Short sentences cannot remain taboo.”

On the National Rally (RN) side, MP Roger Chudeau, specialist in education issues, deplored “cosmetic measures”: “Gabriel Attal has once again produced a number of current affairs commentator. He also engaged in a martial communication exercise. The measures announced are cosmetic or gimmicky,” he denounced. Before shooting a final arrow: “We are light years away from a burst of authority. Attal or incompetence in a suit.”

From Reunion Island, where she continues her two-day visit, Marine Le Pen was more measured, declaring “wait to see the reality of the instructions which will be given to the prosecution”, as well as the “number of procedures committed in particular against defaulting parents. Unsurprisingly, on the left, it’s a completely different story. For EELV MP Sandrine Rousseau, government announcements have only one goal: “To stigmatize young people.” On

His colleague Insoumis Paul Vannier, for his part, pointed out the “1000 cuts to education assistant positions in the budget imposed by 49.3”. For him, Gabriel Attal “is primarily responsible for the deterioration of the climate and security in educational establishments”. On the socialist benches, the Calvados deputy Arthur Delaporte mocked a prime minister who talks about “everything except education and youth”. The parliamentarian attacked “a speech centered on the toughening of the sanction as the only watchword”. The former tenant of Rue de Grenelle, who made the school one of his priorities in Matignon, is, according to him, “missing the cause”. “It is a very conservative speech which goes further than that of François Fillon when he was Minister of Education. The real question is: how do we fight against inequalities?” asked the socialist.

While the head of government announced his desire to put in place “work of general interest” for disruptive elements at school, Fabien Roussel proposed, with irony, to establish the same sanction “for incompetent ministers, responsible for an unprecedented deficit, who exonerate the rich and make the French pay for their mistakes!” “The violence of their policy must be punished! Question of justice,” thundered the communist, while the public accounts were in the red.