Near Toulouse, two ministers campaigning for candidate Macron
Gabriel Attal and Franck Riester were in Balma on Saturday to defend the results and present Emmanuel Macron’s new project. A surprise guest closed the meeting with humour…
Two weeks before the first round of the presidential election, the campaign is intensifying and the programs are becoming clearer. Mobilized around candidate president Emmanuel Macron, the presidential majority is united. Government spokesman Gabriel Attal was yesterday at a meeting in Balma, along with Franck Riester, Minister Delegate for Foreign Trade. Welcomed by Vincent Terrail Novès, mayor of the eastern Toulouse commune, as well as by new parliamentarians and local elected officials, the two ministers entered the arena to the sound of “And one and two and five years more”. The tone was set and the atmosphere guaranteed by a few enthusiastic young macronists.
Industry, health, pensions…
In the middle of the room, Franck Riester, president of Agir, first explained his commitment as a “right-wing man” alongside Emmanuel Macron to “respond to challenges” and because “united we are more strong”. “My desire is to continue to support this competent, courageous and solid President in his transformation of the country”, specified the Minister of Foreign Trade who passed through Culture. “I also strongly believe in the Product Pact to implement new development strategies”.
After the evocation of the commercial and economic aspect, Gabriel Attal, whose sensitivity is more to the left, took hold of societal issues. He explained the need to “continue progress in health”, to “improve the remuneration of work” but also to delay “retirement at 65”. On this point, a question in the room pointed to “the tension” caused by this measure in public opinion. “It will occur gradually over two five-year terms and will take into account the arduousness of certain professions” explained Gabriel Attal, adding: “It is a necessity so as not to reduce pensions or increase the contributions of those who work”.
Saved by humor
While other questions in the room raised serious subjects such as disability, the housing problem or the war in Ukraine, the two ministers received a surprise visit from a comedian. Performing at the Odyssey, a neighboring hall, Gérald Dahan was also on Saturday evening in Balma by a strange coincidence. Gabriel Attal, who faced him in the last legislative elections in their constituency of Issy-les-Moulineaux, brought him to the stage. “We know well because Gérald Dahan was the candidate of France Insoumise when I was elected deputy of La République en Marche in 2017” recalled Gabriel Attal. But it was his favorite exercise that Gérald Dahan mischievously imitated, by gesture and voice, Nicolas Sarkozy bringing “exclusively his support to Emmanuel Macron” which delighted his audience. He also multiplied the good words on Valérie Pécresse, Anne Hidalgo or Jean-Luc Mélenchon. “But I still support Jean-Luc Mélenchon” then clarified the comedian.