President Emmanuel Macron names education minister Gabriel Attal as prime minister in a bid to give new momentum to his presidency, with the 34-year-old becoming France’s youngest and first openly gay head of government.
Attal’s late father, Yves Attal, was Jewish. Macron last night accepted the resignation of Elisabeth Borne, 62, after serving less than two years in office, ahead of a widely expected cabinet reshuffle that seeks to breathe new life into the final three years of his mandate.
Attal, 34, rose to prominence as the government’s spokesman and education minister and had polled as the most popular minister in the outgoing government. He is France’s first out gay prime minister.
Macron’s office announced the appointment in a statement. He will work with Attal to name a new government in the coming days, though some key ministers are expected to continue in their posts.
‘’I know I can count on your energy and your commitment,’’ Macron posted on X in a message to Attal. The president made a reference to Attal reviving the ‘’spirit of 2017,’’ when Macron shook up French politics and shot to a surprise victory as France’s youngest-ever president on a centrist pro-business platform aimed at reviving one of the world’s biggest economies.
The 46-year-old president has shifted rightward on security and migration issues since then, notably as far-right rival Marine Le Pen and her anti-immigration, anti-Islam party National Rally have gained political influence.
Macron’s second term lasts until 2027, and he is constitutionally barred from seeking a third consecutive term. Political observers suggested that Macron, a staunch supporter of European integration, wants his new government to get ready for June’s European Union elections, where far-right, anti-EU populists are expected to increase their influence.
His critics from both left and right took aim at Attal for his limited experience, a Paris upbringing seen as out of touch with people struggling in the provinces and his loyalty to the president.
