Gabriel Attal vows biggest French institutional reform since 1958

Gabriel Attal, the Renaissance party candidate for the 2027 French presidential election, announced a package of constitutional and administrative changes he calls the "largest institutional reform since 1958." He plans to overhaul territorial organization to reduce Paris’s dominance, cut the number of deputies from 577 to 350 and senators from 348 to 200, and introduce an annual national referendum with multiple-choice questions.

Attal also proposes a constitutional principle of speed, requiring the administration to respond to project proposals within two months, and limiting the stacking of administrative appeals to a maximum of 18 months. His reform agenda includes a deep overhaul of the justice system, stricter immigration quotas, a voluntary departure scheme for 100,000 civil servants with severance pay, and a universal pension system that removes the legal retirement age. On migration, he calls for stronger Schengen rules, a reinforced Frontex, and faster expulsion procedures.

These proposals aim to streamline governance, restore public confidence in the executive, and address France’s border and security challenges ahead of the upcoming election.