President Macron appointed Gabriel Attal, 34, as France’s new prime minister, in what many perceive as a move to win back public support. Image: National Assembly, via Wikimedia Commons
President Macron appointed Gabriel Attal, 34, as France’s new prime minister, in what many perceive as a move to win back public support.
The decision comes in the lead up to European Union parliamentary elections, held in June.
A former member of the Socialist Party, Attal joined Macron’s centrist political movement in 2016 and rose to prominence as government spokesperson and as education minister, making him well-known to the French public.
At 34, he is the youngest prime minister in France’s recent history, and the first openly gay person to hold the role.
He is considered by most to be a skilled and effective public communicator, and has been regarded as a “political prodigy” by some.
Recently, he won support from France’s growing far-right movement for his decision to ban the Muslim abaya dress in schools.
Gabriel Attal is set to take over from former prime minister Elisabeth Borne, who seemed to indicate that her resignation was at the President’s request, citing his “will” to “appoint a new prime minister.”
In the French political system, the prime minister is appointed by the president, and is responsible for domestic policy and coordinating the government’s ministerial team.
The president is responsible for foreign policy, European affairs and defence.
Since 2022, the centrist government led by Macron and Borne has faced heavy criticism, including mass protests held in opposition of unpopular pension and immigration reforms.
Some commentators have pointed out Attal’s resemblance to the president, even calling him a “mini-Macron” — much like Attal, Macron was only 39 when he was elected in 2017, making him France’s youngest-ever president.
The combined age of the duo age is less than that of US President Joe Biden.
The move also seems to be a direct response to rival Marine Le Pen, leader of the far-right National Rally party, who appointed the popular 28-year-old Jordan Bardella at the fore of her campaign team.
“The president said we urgently needed someone to take on Bardella,” said a source to Reuters.
Socialist Party leader Olivier Faure dismissed the political move, speaking on France Inter radio.
“Elisabeth Borne, Gabriel Attal or someone else, I don’t care, it will just be the same policies.”
