France saw its youngest ever prime minister and first openly gay one named Tuesday as President Emmanuel Macron seeks a fresh start for the rest of his term amid growing political pressure from the far right.
Gabriel Attal, aged 34, gained prominence first as the government spokesperson and later as the education minister, polling as the most popular minister in the previous administration. Elisabeth Borne, his predecessor, resigned on Monday amid political upheaval surrounding an immigration law that bolsters the government’s authority to expel foreigners.
Macron will collaborate with Attal to appoint a new government in the coming days, with expectations that certain key ministers will retain their positions.
“I know I can count on your energy and your commitment,” Macron conveyed in a message to Attal. The president referenced Attal’s potential in rekindling the “spirit of 2017,” a period when Macron disrupted the political landscape and achieved an unexpected victory as France’s youngest-ever president. Macron’s success was built on a pro-business centrist platform designed to rejuvenate one of the world’s largest economies. its youngest ever prime
During the handover ceremony, Attal stated, “I could read and hear it: the youngest president of the Republic in history appoints the youngest prime minister in history. I want to see it only as the symbol of boldness and movement. It is also, and perhaps above all, a symbol of confidence in young people.”
Attal outlined his objectives, emphasizing making security an “absolute priority” and advocating for values of “authority and respect for others.” Additionally, he pledged to enhance public services, including schools and the healthcare system, and expressed a commitment to “better controlling immigration.”