The next time political pundits mock British Conservatives for having worked their way, with scant success, through so many prime ministers – five in their 13 years of power – they should perhaps cast a glance across the English Channel at France, where an unpopular President, Emmanuel Macron, has announced his fourth in just seven years of office.
Mr Macron’s choice as successor to the earnest but beleaguered Elisabeth Borne is the youngest to hold the office in modern times. Gabriel Attal, just 34, has enjoyed a meteoric rise to the top and is regarded as the best-liked member of the centrist government, even though the administration’s inability to win public hearts and minds suggests he is merely the figure voters dislike least.
In many ways, Mr Attal is the mirror image of the President who, for now, is also his cheerleader.
Both fiercely intelligent, they were members of France’s socialist party before deciding the way forward for France – and possibly in their own interests, too – was to try to bridge the classic left-right divide in French politics.
And both have belonged since Mr Macron’s landslide presidential victory in 2017 to a power base with a stream of disappointments that has enabled the far right to present itself as a presidency and government in waiting.
Mr Macron got on in life, notably as a highly successful investment banker with Rothschild, despite twice failing to gain entry to the prestigious Ecole Normale Superieure, instead making do with a philosophy degree at Paris Nanterre University. Mr Attal, of half-Tunisian Jewish descent, attended the elite, private Parisian school, Ecole Alsacienne, before graduating in law, followed by a master’s in public affairs.
Openly gay, he was formerly the partner of Stephane Sejourne, a member of the European Parliament and general secretary of Mr Macron’s Renaissance party who has now been appointed Europe minister in Mr Attal’s first government.
Two dynamic men with elevated debating skills, they see the far right as a dangerous anti-republican affront to democracy. But in common with all French political groups that aspire to power, both have proved willing to adopt policies and philosophies that go beyond mere lip service to the pre-occupations and fears that tempt so many to vote for Marine Le Pen, who also has an able young lieutenant, Jordan Bardella.
Opponents detected the scent of strategic Islamophobia when Mr Attal, as education minister, began the present school year by banning schoolgirls from wearing the abaya, a measure he defended as protecting France’s cherished secular values.
But there is little evidence that such steps, insufficient to appease the far right and seen as discriminatory even by moderate Muslims, are assured significant vote-winners.
The task Mr Attal faces, therefore, is formidable.
On the plus side, his appointment represents rupture with a recent history of functional prime ministers overshadowed by the real power, that of the president. Few eyelids flickered when Mr Macron replaced Ms Borne’s predecessors: Edouard Philippe (a departure from office surprising only because he enjoyed decent levels of public approval) and the competent if uninspiring Jean Castex.
Centrists of the Macron-Attal mould have to rely on talent and charisma to overcome fixed loyalties, now complicated by the advances of Ms Le Pen
However, it is unlikely to have an impact immediate and strong enough to stop Ms Le Pen’s National Rally populists making big advances in June’s European parliamentary elections.
Indeed, Mr Attal is confronted by the same key obstacle to smooth government that held back and ultimately helped to render Ms Borne ineffective: the lack of an overall majority in the National Assembly, a hung parliament that may potentially force him to resort as she did to the despised Article 49.3 that permits a bill to be passed without a vote. This can be invoked only once in each parliamentary session except, crucially, on state and social security budgets, where its use is unrestricted.
With no historic electoral catchment area, centrists of the Macron-Attal mould have to rely on talent and charisma to overcome fixed loyalties, now complicated by the advances of Ms Le Pen. Mr Macron felt like a breath of fresh air in 2017 when he swept into the Elysee Palace on a tide of enthusiasm and youthful hope but has since struggled to shake off perceptions that he is a “president for the rich”.
Ms Borne served 20 months; if Mr Attal survives any fallout from bad European election results, matching the length of her term in office would still leave him a further 20 months from the next presidential elections. Mr Macron must stand down when his second five-year presidency ends in the spring of 2027, assuming he does not choose to leave office sooner. But if he sees his new prime minister as his heir, there is plenty of scope for things to go badly wrong between now and then.
Mr Attal, like all recent predecessors, will see himself as a reformer. But the reality of French politics is that whereas voters often acknowledge the need for France to change, each attempt to bring this about in any meaningful way meets resistance. The trade unions and assorted single-interest groups, from farmers and fishermen to power station workers and dustmen, see the voice of the street, strikes and blockades included, as parallel democracy.
We await a clear idea of what Mr Attal as Prime Minister will stand for, beyond being a committed Macronist and, as education minister, wanting to stamp out school bullying (he was bullied himself as a boy) and tinker with arrangements for the Baccalaureate examinations taken at the end of secondary school life.
Admirers say he was sound in the finance and health ministries and faultless at education. Critics found him hyperactive but ultimately too short-lived in ministerial roles to see ideas through. One teaching union leader, Sophie Venetitay, told the broadcaster France Info he left the impression, after less than six months as education minister, of having been “a man in a hurry who used education as a political springboard”.
In debate on serious issues, Mr Attal is unlikely to bettered by the likes of Ms Le Pen. Few astute observers see her brand of populism rife in Europe as offering the French economy anything beyond dodgy visions of protectionism.
But her impressive drive to thrust off her party’s historically toxic image, with racism and anti-Semitism widely seen as stocks in trade, is a lesson for all those eager to restore faith in conventional political movements. “I don’t want her as president,” says a French relative who has traditionally voted centre right. “But it is as well there cannot be a third run-off between her and Macron. Otherwise, I’d vote blank.”
Mr Attal has said he “owes everything” to Mr Macron. His monumental challenge, whether or not he sees himself as presidential material for 2027, is to repay that debt, succeed in the court of public popularity where his champion has failed and win back those voters disenchanted with politics and those who practise it.
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Lamsa
Founder: Badr Ward
Launched: 2014
Employees: 60
Based: Abu Dhabi
Sector: EdTech
Funding to date: $15 million
What the law says
Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.
“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.
“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”
If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.
THE BIO:
Sabri Razouk, 74
Athlete and fitness trainer
Married, father of six
Favourite exercise: Bench press
Must-eat weekly meal: Steak with beans, carrots, broccoli, crust and corn
Power drink: A glass of yoghurt
Role model: Any good man
Company Profile
Name: Thndr
Started: 2019
Co-founders: Ahmad Hammouda and Seif Amr
Sector: FinTech
Headquarters: Egypt
UAE base: Hub71, Abu Dhabi
Current number of staff: More than 150
Funds raised: $22 million
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh117,059
What is type-1 diabetes
Type 1 diabetes is a genetic and unavoidable condition, rather than the lifestyle-related type 2 diabetes.
It occurs mostly in people under 40 and a result of the pancreas failing to produce enough insulin to regulate blood sugars.
Too much or too little blood sugar can result in an attack where sufferers lose consciousness in serious cases.
Being overweight or obese increases the chances of developing the more common type 2 diabetes.
Results
5pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 (Turf) 1,000mm, Winners: Mumayaza, Fabrice Veron (jockey), Eric Lemartinel (trainer)
5.30pm: Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 (T) 2,200m, Winners: Sharkh, Pat Cosgrave, Helal Al Alawi
6pm: The President’s Cup Prep - Conditions (PA) Dh100,000 (T) 2,200m, Winner: Somoud, Richard Mullen, Jean de Roualle
6.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh90,000 (T) 1,600m, Winner: Harrab, Ryan Curatolo, Jean de Roualle
7pm: Abu Dhabi Equestrian Gold Cup - Prestige (PA) Dh125,000 (T) 1,600m, Winner: Hameem, Adrie de Vries, Abdallah Al Hammadi
7.30pm: Al Ruwais – Group 3 (PA) Dh300,000 (T) 1,200m, Winner: AF Alwajel, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel
8pm: Maiden (TB) Dh80,000 (T) 1,400m, Winner: Nibras Passion, Bernardo Pinheiro, Ismail Mohammed
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Match info
Liverpool 3
Hoedt (10' og), Matip (21'), Salah (45 3')
Southampton 0
Company profile
Company: Verity
Date started: May 2021
Founders: Kamal Al-Samarrai, Dina Shoman and Omar Al Sharif
Based: Dubai
Sector: FinTech
Size: four team members
Stage: Intially bootstrapped but recently closed its first pre-seed round of $800,000
Investors: Wamda, VentureSouq, Beyond Capital and regional angel investors
Dhadak 2
Director: Shazia Iqbal
Starring: Siddhant Chaturvedi, Triptii Dimri
Rating: 1/5
Quick%20facts
%3Cul%3E%0A%3Cli%3EStorstockholms%20Lokaltrafik%20(SL)%20offers%20free%20guided%20tours%20of%20art%20in%20the%20metro%20and%20at%20the%20stations%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EThe%20tours%20are%20free%20of%20charge%3B%20all%20you%20need%20is%20a%20valid%20SL%20ticket%2C%20for%20which%20a%20single%20journey%20(valid%20for%2075%20minutes)%20costs%2039%20Swedish%20krone%20(%243.75)%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3ETravel%20cards%20for%20unlimited%20journeys%20are%20priced%20at%20165%20Swedish%20krone%20for%2024%20hours%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EAvoid%20rush%20hour%20%E2%80%93%20between%209.30%20am%20and%204.30%20pm%20%E2%80%93%20to%20explore%20the%20artwork%20at%20leisure%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3C%2Ful%3E%0A
A MINECRAFT MOVIE
Director: Jared Hess
Starring: Jack Black, Jennifer Coolidge, Jason Momoa
Rating: 3/5
Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
Email sent to Uber team from chief executive Dara Khosrowshahi
From: Dara
To: Team@
Date: March 25, 2019 at 11:45pm PT
Subj: Accelerating in the Middle East
Five years ago, Uber launched in the Middle East. It was the start of an incredible journey, with millions of riders and drivers finding new ways to move and work in a dynamic region that’s become so important to Uber. Now Pakistan is one of our fastest-growing markets in the world, women are driving with Uber across Saudi Arabia, and we chose Cairo to launch our first Uber Bus product late last year.
Today we are taking the next step in this journey—well, it’s more like a leap, and a big one: in a few minutes, we’ll announce that we’ve agreed to acquire Careem. Importantly, we intend to operate Careem independently, under the leadership of co-founder and current CEO Mudassir Sheikha. I’ve gotten to know both co-founders, Mudassir and Magnus Olsson, and what they have built is truly extraordinary. They are first-class entrepreneurs who share our platform vision and, like us, have launched a wide range of products—from digital payments to food delivery—to serve consumers.
I expect many of you will ask how we arrived at this structure, meaning allowing Careem to maintain an independent brand and operate separately. After careful consideration, we decided that this framework has the advantage of letting us build new products and try new ideas across not one, but two, strong brands, with strong operators within each. Over time, by integrating parts of our networks, we can operate more efficiently, achieve even lower wait times, expand new products like high-capacity vehicles and payments, and quicken the already remarkable pace of innovation in the region.
This acquisition is subject to regulatory approval in various countries, which we don’t expect before Q1 2020. Until then, nothing changes. And since both companies will continue to largely operate separately after the acquisition, very little will change in either teams’ day-to-day operations post-close. Today’s news is a testament to the incredible business our team has worked so hard to build.
It’s a great day for the Middle East, for the region’s thriving tech sector, for Careem, and for Uber.
Uber on,
Dara
LOS ANGELES GALAXY 2 MANCHESTER UNITED 5
Galaxy: Dos Santos (79', 88')
United: Rashford (2', 20'), Fellaini (26'), Mkhitaryan (67'), Martial (72')
Key findings of Jenkins report
- Founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, Hassan al Banna, "accepted the political utility of violence"
- Views of key Muslim Brotherhood ideologue, Sayyid Qutb, have “consistently been understood” as permitting “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” and “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
- Muslim Brotherhood at all levels has repeatedly defended Hamas attacks against Israel, including the use of suicide bombers and the killing of civilians.
- Laying out the report in the House of Commons, David Cameron told MPs: "The main findings of the review support the conclusion that membership of, association with, or influence by the Muslim Brotherhood should be considered as a possible indicator of extremism."
Sheer grandeur
The Owo building is 14 storeys high, seven of which are below ground, with the 30,000 square feet of amenities located subterranean, including a 16-seat private cinema, seven lounges, a gym, games room, treatment suites and bicycle storage.
A clear distinction between the residences and the Raffles hotel with the amenities operated separately.
GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
The flights: South African Airways flies from Dubai International Airport with a stop in Johannesburg, with prices starting from around Dh4,000 return. Emirates can get you there with a stop in Lusaka from around Dh4,600 return.
The details: Visas are available for 247 Zambian kwacha or US$20 (Dh73) per person on arrival at Livingstone Airport. Single entry into Victoria Falls for international visitors costs 371 kwacha or $30 (Dh110). Microlight flights are available through Batoka Sky, with 15-minute flights costing 2,265 kwacha (Dh680).
Accommodation: The Royal Livingstone Victoria Falls Hotel by Anantara is an ideal place to stay, within walking distance of the falls and right on the Zambezi River. Rooms here start from 6,635 kwacha (Dh2,398) per night, including breakfast, taxes and Wi-Fi. Water arrivals cost from 587 kwacha (Dh212) per person.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The years Ramadan fell in May
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
The specs: 2018 Mercedes-Benz GLA
Price, base / as tested Dh150,900 / Dh173,600
Engine 2.0L inline four-cylinder
Transmission Seven-speed automatic
Power 211hp @ 5,500rpm
Torque 350Nm @ 1,200rpm
Fuel economy, combined 6.4L / 100km
War 2
Director: Ayan Mukerji
Stars: Hrithik Roshan, NTR, Kiara Advani, Ashutosh Rana
Rating: 2/5
