Civil service: Attal wants to cut 100,000 jobs, but promises not to touch any jobs in National Education

Gabriel Attal is persisting with his plan to reduce the size of the civil service, while promising to protect the national education system. Invited this Thursday, November 12th, to the presidential televised debate organized by franceinfo, the Renaissance candidate confirmed his intention to eliminate 100,000 positions in the national and local government sectors if he wins the 2027 presidential election. This reduction would be achieved through voluntary departures and by not replacing some retiring employees, without any forced layoffs. However, the former Prime Minister was careful to specify that the national education system would not be affected. He promises to maintain positions in this sector despite the expected decrease in student numbers, in order to gradually reduce class sizes and improve teaching conditions.

Gabriel Attal intends, in particular, to reduce primary school classes to fewer than 20 students, using the declining student population to improve staffing levels rather than cutting positions. He also promises to increase teachers' salaries, with raises ranging from €200 to €500 net per month, depending on individual circumstances. The candidate wants to strengthen teacher replacements, improve the condition of schools, and ensure greater stability at the head of the Ministry of National Education. He therefore advocates for the appointment of a minister who would remain in office for the entire five-year presidential term. The stated objective is to make education a national priority, while simultaneously demanding savings from other government departments.

Reducing public spending without eliminating positions in key ministries

The staff reduction plan would also not affect the Armed Forces, the Justice Ministry, and the Interior Ministry, according to proposals published by Gabriel Attal. These four ministries, along with the Ministry of National Education, would therefore benefit from special protection. The former Prime Minister believes that modernizing the administration, particularly through artificial intelligence and streamlined procedures, would allow services to be maintained despite the overall reduction in the number of employees. He also proposes eliminating one level of local government to reduce administrative redundancies. These measures are part of a broader program to control public spending, from which the candidate expects €150 billion in savings. However, the amount actually attributable to job cuts was not specified in the published documents.

Regarding higher education, Gabriel Attal advocates a different approach, one likely to spark controversy. Unlike student organizations calling for the abolition of Parcoursup , he wants to maintain the platform and the principle of selection for admissions. He believes the tool needs improvement but remains necessary for managing admissions. The former Prime Minister also proposes evolving the range of courses offered, reducing certain programs with limited job prospects and further developing those that correspond to economic needs, particularly in industry.