Gabriel Attal criticised Marine Le Pen during a debate hosted by business federation Medef on Thursday, accusing her party of lacking clear funding plans for its economic agenda.
Speaking at the forum featuring seven presidential candidates on August 27, the Renaissance politician targeted the far-right figurehead over her political messaging and financial proposals ahead of the 2027 French presidential election.
Attal said political discussions were returning to Le Pen's traditional formula of subject, verb and immigration. Addressing economic issues, he stated that no one knew how her proposals would be funded, adding that the smoke screen surrounding National Rally leader Jordan Bardella had definitively fallen.
Economic debate at Medef forum
The debate was organized by Medef, short for Mouvement des Entreprises de France, the country's largest employer federation. The business group regularly hosts political leaders, government ministers and presidential contenders to debate economic strategy, taxation and business regulation.
During the meeting on Thursday evening, seven candidates presented their visions to French corporate leaders and entrepreneurs. Economic management remains a central battleground for candidates seeking to demonstrate fiscal credibility before business leaders and voters.
Attal's comments focused directly on the financial feasibility of opposition platforms. He argued that while opposition leaders frequently center discussions on immigration, they fail to provide detailed cost calculations for their fiscal and economic commitments.
Campaign backdrop for 2027 election
The centrist Renaissance party, established under President Emmanuel Macron, has repeatedly challenged rival platforms on their fiscal mathematics. As the 2027 presidential election approaches, French political parties are actively competing to frame the economic narrative.
Marine Le Pen and Jordan Bardella represent the primary leadership of the National Rally, which has sought to broaden its economic appeal while maintaining its core focus on national sovereignty and border control. Attal's reference to a Bardella smoke screen targeted the party's effort to present a modernized economic policy.
The video report containing Attal's address at the Medef gathering was released on Thursday at 10:40 pm by the video editorial team of French news platform TF1info.
