“News articles are identified and used to explain broader social trends,” said Christian Mouhanna, a French sociologist whose research focuses on security issues. “The idea that there is a huge spike in crime is false.”
Muhanna said attempts to counter the rise of the far-right by adopting themes favored by the far-right often backfire, as political parties like the National Rally always push for tougher anti-crime policies.
“Political leaders tend to put security issues at the forefront of their agendas when they risk appearing incompetent in other areas,” he said. “The government has been trying to make itself look the most secure, even though recent deficit numbers suggest it is struggling economically.”
President Macron’s pursuit of reformist policies
The French government has already been forced to announce 10 billion euros in spending cuts twice this year after failing to meet its budget deficit target due to lower-than-expected growth and tax revenues.
“If we had the same employment rate as Germany, we would have virtually no problems balancing the budget,” Attal said in an interview Thursday.
Attal said Macron’s proposals include tighter access to unemployment benefits to encourage job seekers to accept job offers, and a €2 billion tax cut for the “middle class” if offset by spending cuts. confirmed plans to pursue pro-market reformist policies. .
Attal, now in his 100th day as prime minister, is viewed favorably by almost half of respondents in an Odoxa poll, more than all his predecessors since Macron took office in 2017. The French prime minister is currently seen as best placed to represent France, and recent opinion polls show that the centrist camp has an advantage in the 2027 presidential election.
Still, the coming months could be very tough for Matignon’s mavericks, with the National Rally firmly in the lead and the government coalition as fragile as ever given its lack of an absolute majority. .
