You're listening to a podcast from the BBC World Service. This is Hard Talk with me, Stephen Sacker.

Thanks for downloading this edition of the program. I do hope you enjoy it.

My guest today is one of the most youthful faces in the current French government.

Before his 30th birthday, Gabriel Atal's enthusiastic cheerleading for President Emmanuel Macron

was rewarded with the post of Minister for Youth and National Service.

It came as no surprise to political observers in Paris.

After all, Mr. Atal, with his elite educational background and effortless political transition from the socialist

party to the centrist-on-marsh movement some three years ago, always looked like a natural

fit in the president's team. But maybe that is part of the problem that team Macron faces today.

Much of France, beyond Paris and beyond the privileged intellectual elite,

has rapidly turned against the president's high-handed style

and his much-vaunted reform program.

Violent street protests and a succession of strikes

have exposed deep polarization in France. Mr Macron's ambition to be an

agent of change in France and the EU is in danger of being crushed. Can he recover? Gabriel Atal,

welcome to hard talk. Thank you. What's gone wrong? Halfway through his term, President Macron,

seems to have lost the

faith of the French public. No, I don't think so. You know, President Macron was elected in a very

tormented situation. You had almost 40% of the voters who voted for extremist parties.

We always knew it would be hard to do.

So right now we...

Well, you talk of a tormented country back then at the time of his election.

...