LATEST: Macron names Gabriel Attal, 34, as France's youngest ever prime minister
French President Emmanuel Macron named the 34-year-old Education Minister Gabriel Attal as France's new prime minister on Tuesday. Attal becomes France's youngest and first openly gay PM.
Aged 34, Gabriel Attal, will be France's next prime minister, after predecessor Élisabeth Borne resigned on Monday after having held the position for 20 months.
France's previous youngest prime minister was Laurent Fabius who took the role aged 37 in 1984 under former president Françis Mitterrand.
Attal was previously government spokesperson before being named education minister five months ago. He is a considered a staunch ally to Macron.
Macron paid tribute to Attal in a statement on social media site X.
"I know I can count on your energy and your commitment to put in place the project of rearming and regenerating that I have announced," said Macron.
Cher @GabrielAttal, je sais pouvoir compter sur votre énergie et votre engagement pour mettre en œuvre le projet de réarmement et de régénération que j’ai annoncé. Dans la fidélité à l’esprit de 2017 : dépassement et audace. Au service de la Nation et des Français.
— Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) January 9, 2024
He is now tasked with forming a new government in the coming days.
In response, Attal posted on X on Tuesday thanking the president for his confidence. He promised to: "Work hard, humbly and without taboos to serve the French people."
Merci Monsieur le Président pour votre confiance. Je mesure l’honneur qui m’est fait d’être nommé Premier ministre.
Un cap : garder le contrôle de notre destin, libérer le potentiel français et réarmer notre pays.
Au travail, avec force, humilité et sans tabou au service des…
— Gabriel Attal (@GabrielAttal) January 9, 2024
The appointment was revealed much later than expected amid reports Attal's rise had caused friction within the government.
French media reported that heavy weight ministers such as the Economy Minister Bruno Lemaire and Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin were unhappy at the prospect of working under Attal. Both deny these reports.
But the leader of Macron's Renaissance party in parliament Sylvain Maillard congratulated Attal on X saying "I am sure that you will be able to faithfully carry out our project and embody the values that are ours."
However opposition MPs criticised the move with hard left leader Jean-Luc Mélenchon suggesting Attal was simply taking up his position again as a spokesman for Macron.
"The position of prime minister has vanished. The presidential monarch governs alone with his court," said Mélenchon.
The change in prime minister comes ahead of the Olympic Games in Paris and European parliament elections later this year where Macron's centrist forces risk defeat at the hands of the far-right under Marine Le Pen.
Commentators see the reshuffle as essential to relaunch Macron's centrist presidency for the final three years of his second term and prevent him becoming a "lame duck" leader after a series of crises.
Since he defeated the far right to win a second term in 2022, Macron has faced protests over unpopular pension reforms, the loss of his overall majority in parliamentary elections and controversy over immigration legislation.
While Macron cannot run again in 2027 presidential elections, relaunching his government is seen as crucial to help prevent Le Pen becoming president.
Who is Gabriel Attal?
Until Tuesday, Attal served as France's education minister.
In the course of his tenure - which began in July 2023 - Attal has overseen an anti-bullying campaign and the banning of abayas (a loose garment worn by some Muslim women) in French state schools.
Previously, he served as the government spokesperson from 2020 to 2022.
According to recent polling, Attal was a top choice among the French public to replace Borne as PM, with 36 percent of respondents agreeing he would “make a good prime minister”. In comparison, French President Emmanuel Macron’s approval rating stood at 27 percent as of January 2024.
Problems remain for Macron
Constitutional expert Benjamin Morel told AFP that Attal's appointment signals a "very offensive strategy with a view to the European elections" in June.
But political scientist Bruno Cautres said he would "not solve the problem of the majority, nor the main problem which is where the the mandate (of Macron) is heading".
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Aged 34, Gabriel Attal, will be France's next prime minister, after predecessor Élisabeth Borne resigned on Monday after having held the position for 20 months.
France's previous youngest prime minister was Laurent Fabius who took the role aged 37 in 1984 under former president Françis Mitterrand.
Attal was previously government spokesperson before being named education minister five months ago. He is a considered a staunch ally to Macron.
Macron paid tribute to Attal in a statement on social media site X.
"I know I can count on your energy and your commitment to put in place the project of rearming and regenerating that I have announced," said Macron.
Cher @GabrielAttal, je sais pouvoir compter sur votre énergie et votre engagement pour mettre en œuvre le projet de réarmement et de régénération que j’ai annoncé. Dans la fidélité à l’esprit de 2017 : dépassement et audace. Au service de la Nation et des Français.
— Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) January 9, 2024
He is now tasked with forming a new government in the coming days.
In response, Attal posted on X on Tuesday thanking the president for his confidence. He promised to: "Work hard, humbly and without taboos to serve the French people."
Merci Monsieur le Président pour votre confiance. Je mesure l’honneur qui m’est fait d’être nommé Premier ministre.
— Gabriel Attal (@GabrielAttal) January 9, 2024
Un cap : garder le contrôle de notre destin, libérer le potentiel français et réarmer notre pays.
Au travail, avec force, humilité et sans tabou au service des…
The appointment was revealed much later than expected amid reports Attal's rise had caused friction within the government.
French media reported that heavy weight ministers such as the Economy Minister Bruno Lemaire and Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin were unhappy at the prospect of working under Attal. Both deny these reports.
But the leader of Macron's Renaissance party in parliament Sylvain Maillard congratulated Attal on X saying "I am sure that you will be able to faithfully carry out our project and embody the values that are ours."
However opposition MPs criticised the move with hard left leader Jean-Luc Mélenchon suggesting Attal was simply taking up his position again as a spokesman for Macron.
"The position of prime minister has vanished. The presidential monarch governs alone with his court," said Mélenchon.
The change in prime minister comes ahead of the Olympic Games in Paris and European parliament elections later this year where Macron's centrist forces risk defeat at the hands of the far-right under Marine Le Pen.
Commentators see the reshuffle as essential to relaunch Macron's centrist presidency for the final three years of his second term and prevent him becoming a "lame duck" leader after a series of crises.
Since he defeated the far right to win a second term in 2022, Macron has faced protests over unpopular pension reforms, the loss of his overall majority in parliamentary elections and controversy over immigration legislation.
While Macron cannot run again in 2027 presidential elections, relaunching his government is seen as crucial to help prevent Le Pen becoming president.
Who is Gabriel Attal?
Until Tuesday, Attal served as France's education minister.
In the course of his tenure - which began in July 2023 - Attal has overseen an anti-bullying campaign and the banning of abayas (a loose garment worn by some Muslim women) in French state schools.
Previously, he served as the government spokesperson from 2020 to 2022.
According to recent polling, Attal was a top choice among the French public to replace Borne as PM, with 36 percent of respondents agreeing he would “make a good prime minister”. In comparison, French President Emmanuel Macron’s approval rating stood at 27 percent as of January 2024.
Problems remain for Macron
Constitutional expert Benjamin Morel told AFP that Attal's appointment signals a "very offensive strategy with a view to the European elections" in June.
But political scientist Bruno Cautres said he would "not solve the problem of the majority, nor the main problem which is where the the mandate (of Macron) is heading".
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