French presidential candidate Gabriel Attal calls for the UK to rejoin the EU

Former French Prime Minister Gabriel Attal has called for the UK to rejoin the European Union, calling Brexit ‘a disaster.’ 

France’s youngest ever prime minister made the comments in an open letter published by media outlet Le Figaro, where he argued that the UK rejoining the bloc is “in the interests of the French people.” 

“Ten years after the referendum, I express a wish: that my generation might see the United Kingdom rejoin the European Union.”

He also cited that for “nearly three years now, every study has shown that a clear majority regret the 2016 decision and would like to rejoin the European Union,” however he did not cite any polls in his article.

Mr Attal penned the op-ed as he continued his campaign to become France’s next president, after officially announcing his candidacy for the 2027 election. 

Running as a pro-European centrist, Mr Attal is seen as the principal continuity candidate for the policies of current President Emmanuel Macron, and is the general secretary of the President’s ‘Renaissance’ party.

His closest ideological rival Edouard Philippe – another former prime minister under Mr Macron – is leaning into his right-wing credentials in a bid to gain votes from the right of the political spectrum and tackle the far-right head on.

‘Europe cannot afford the luxury of division’

“Brexit has been a disaster for Great Britain. In France, even those who once cheered for it are now keeping a low profile, no longer openly advocating for leaving the Union,” Mr Attal said, calling out the previous anti-EU stance of the far-right Rassemblement National.

The far-right group remain Eurosceptic, but have renounced former plans to take France out of the EU. 

Mr Attal cites a number of reasons he believes the historic vote of ten years ago to have been a mistake, including the economic impact and the UK’s post-Brexit relations with the EU. 

“Since Brexit, we have seen war return to our continent. We have seen liberal democracies challenged, authoritarian powers advancing, the race for innovation reigniting, AI exploding, and dependencies turning into vulnerabilities. In this world, Europe cannot afford the luxury of division, and the United Kingdom can only decline in isolation.”

“[Brexit] hampers initiatives, cooperation, and projects. It creates bureaucracy and obstacles. And, even more seriously, at a time when power politics dictates international relations, it prevents European countries from standing united and exerting real influence,” he said. 

Mr Attal in particular highlighted the importance of coordination in light of the War in Ukraine and the United States’ turn away from Europe.

Franco-British alliance is paramount

“The British are our allies, our partners, and our neighbors. They share our vision of freedom, the rule of law, and military power in the service of peace. In defending Ukraine, they have demonstrated steadfastness, clarity, and courage that command respect. We need them—and they need us—.” 

Mr Attal oversaw the continuation of renewed Franco-British relations during his time as prime minister (January - September 2024). 

This included a celebration of the 120-year anniversary of the entente cordiale (Franco-British alliance) and the July 2024 election victory of the Labour party, openly more pro-European than the Conservative party they replaced. 

Since Mr Attal resigned as prime minister, Franco-British relations have continued to improve as EU-UK talks reset a number of policies, including trade and travel (with an aim of restoring cross-border pet passports a major diplomatic goal). 

Following UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s resignation on June 22, there is the potential for his successor to continue to push for stronger UK-EU relations. 

Andy Burnham, the Labour MP expected to succeed Sir Starmer, is expected to follow the same pattern as his predecessor, forging stronger UK-EU ties without entertaining any serious prospect of overturning the 2016 vote or calling another referendum. 

British people must choose

Indeed, Mr Attal believes that it is only through another vote the UK could rejoin the bloc. 

“The United Kingdom’s return to the European Union will not happen overnight. It cannot be decreed from Paris, Brussels, or London. It must be desired by the British people themselves. It must respect the Union’s rules. It must be prepared seriously—without naivety and without haggling.”

“We would miss the point if we did not first ask ourselves why a majority of Britons chose to leave the European Union in 2016. That decision stemmed largely from the fact that Europe was too often perceived as a source of regulations, constraints, and paralysis, failing to demonstrate the tangible benefits it provided.”

A new style of European involvement

“If we want the United Kingdom to rejoin, it cannot happen on the same terms as in 1973. Let us be clear: any expansion of the Union must be accompanied by a fundamental change in how Europe operates.” 

“In this Europe of coalitions, willing nations could - on an issue-by-issue basis - join forces, organize, invest, and push boundaries as far as they wish, with other willing countries joining them over time. A Capital Markets Union is an urgent priority; let those countries ready to proceed unite and move forward independently of the rest.” 

It is worth noting that nine other countries are EU membership candidates, all of whom are at various stages of ascending to join the bloc.

“Our defense capabilities must be strengthened; let those countries ready to act unite and move forward independently of the rest. And in this Europe of coalitions, Great Britain would have a vital role to play, for it would make no sense to envision the future without them.”