Candidate comparison
Philippe vs Attal: how alike are they?
We compare the documented positions of Édouard Philippe and Gabriel Attal on the 46 questions in the test, issue by issue.
In brief
How do Philippe and Attal differ?
Édouard Philippe (Horizons) and Gabriel Attal (Renaissance), both former prime ministers under Emmanuel Macron, take the same side on the vast majority of test statements where both have a sourced position. Both want to cut public spending first rather than raise taxes, reduce the number of public servants and fund part of pensions through invested savings, and both reject bringing back a wealth tax as well as going back to a retirement age of 62. They support new nuclear reactors and further wind power, military aid to Ukraine and higher military spending, and they oppose both leaving the European Union and giving French law precedence over European law. They differ on four points: Philippe wants to raise the legal retirement age to 65 and suspend family reunification, which Attal rejects; Attal supports compulsory national service for all young people and keeping the 2026 assisted dying law, both of which Philippe opposes.
This summary is based on the candidates’ documented positions on the test statements; the source of each position is on each candidate’s page. Updated 19/10/2026.
Differences
Where they clash most
Pensions
The legal retirement age should rise to 65.
Immigration
Family reunification should be suspended.
Society, secularism and regions
The 2026 law allowing assisted dying should be kept.
Common ground
Where they agree
Economy, taxes and debt
To reduce the deficit, public spending should be cut first, rather than raising taxes.
Both: Strongly in favour
Economy, taxes and debt
The number of public servants should be reduced.
Both: Strongly in favour
Economy, taxes and debt
A wealth tax should be brought back.
Both: Strongly against
Pensions
The legal retirement age should go back to 62 or lower.
Both: Strongly against
Pensions
Part of pensions should be funded by invested savings (a funded pillar).
Both: Strongly in favour
Pensions
All pensions should rise at least in line with inflation.
Both: Against
By issue
Agreement by issue
Detail
Question by question
Economy, taxes and debt 94 %
| Question | Philippe | Attal |
|---|---|---|
| There should be a minimum tax of 2% on fortunes worth more than 100 million euros. | Strongly against | Against |
| To reduce the deficit, public spending should be cut first, rather than raising taxes. | Strongly in favour | Strongly in favour |
| The number of public servants should be reduced. | Strongly in favour | Strongly in favour |
| A wealth tax should be brought back. | Strongly against | Strongly against |
Pensions 81 %
| Question | Philippe | Attal |
|---|---|---|
| The legal retirement age should go back to 62 or lower. | Strongly against | Strongly against |
| The legal retirement age should rise to 65. | Strongly in favour | Against |
| Part of pensions should be funded by invested savings (a funded pillar). | Strongly in favour | Strongly in favour |
| All pensions should rise at least in line with inflation. | Against | Against |
Work and cost of living 90 %
| Question | Philippe | Attal |
|---|---|---|
| The minimum wage (SMIC) should be raised to at least 1,600 euros a month after deductions. | Against | Against |
| The legal working week should stay at 35 hours. | Strongly against | Against |
| VAT on electricity, gas and motor fuel should be cut. | Against | Against |
| Unemployment benefits should be paid for a shorter time, to encourage people back into work. | Strongly in favour | In favour |
| Rent controls should apply in all large cities. | Against | Against |
Health 75 %
| Question | Philippe | Attal |
|---|---|---|
| The State should be able to require doctors to set up practice in areas that lack them. | In between | Strongly against |
| Funding for public hospitals should be greatly increased, even if it costs the State more. | Against | Against |
Immigration 83 %
| Question | Philippe | Attal |
|---|---|---|
| There should be a referendum on immigration. | In between | In between |
| Birthright citizenship (“droit du sol”) should be abolished. | Against | Against |
| Undocumented workers who have a job should be given legal status. | Against | Against |
| Social housing and jobs should go to French citizens first. | Against | Against |
| Undocumented migrants should keep access to State medical aid (AME). | Against | In between |
| Family reunification should be suspended. | Strongly in favour | Against |
Security and justice 94 %
| Question | Philippe | Attal |
|---|---|---|
| Police officers and gendarmes should be presumed to have acted in self-defence. | In favour | In favour |
| Judges should have to give repeat offenders mandatory minimum sentences. | In favour | In between |
| The sale of cannabis should be legalised and regulated. | Against | Against |
| Rubber-bullet launchers (LBD) and grenades should be banned at demonstrations. | Against | Against |
Education and youth 83 %
| Question | Philippe | Attal |
|---|---|---|
| Social media should be banned for children under 15. | In favour | Strongly in favour |
| School uniform should be compulsory in primary and lower secondary school. | In between | In between |
| Parcoursup should be scrapped. | In between | Against |
Energy, climate and farming 94 %
| Question | Philippe | Attal |
|---|---|---|
| France should build new nuclear reactors. | Strongly in favour | Strongly in favour |
| Wind power should continue to be developed. | In favour | In favour |
| Low-emission zones (ZFE) in large cities should be scrapped. | In between | Against |
| Glyphosate and neonicotinoids should be banned. | Against | Against |
Europe 92 %
| Question | Philippe | Attal |
|---|---|---|
| French law should take precedence over European law. | Against | Against |
| The European Union should take more decisions by majority, without a veto for each country. | In between | In favour |
| France should leave the European Union. | Strongly against | Strongly against |
Foreign affairs and defence 85 %
| Question | Philippe | Attal |
|---|---|---|
| France should continue to give military aid to Ukraine. | Strongly in favour | Strongly in favour |
| France should leave NATO’s integrated military command. | Against | Against |
| France should offer to extend its nuclear deterrent to its European partners. | In favour | Strongly in favour |
| There should be compulsory national service for all young people. | Against | In favour |
| France should increase its military spending. | Strongly in favour | Strongly in favour |
Institutions and democracy 92 %
| Question | Philippe | Attal |
|---|---|---|
| Members of the National Assembly should be elected by proportional representation. | Against | In between |
| There should be a citizens’ initiative referendum (RIC). | Against | Against |
| A constituent assembly should be called to create a Sixth Republic. | Against | Against |
Society, secularism and regions 67 %
| Question | Philippe | Attal |
|---|---|---|
| The 2026 law allowing assisted dying should be kept. | Against | Strongly in favour |
| Corsica should be able to make its own rules in some areas. | In favour | In favour |
| Girls under 18 should not be allowed to wear the headscarf in public spaces. | In between | In favour |
What about you? Which of the two do you agree with more?
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