Emmanuel Macron has appointed Gabriel Attal as France's youngest-ever prime minister, a move aimed at revitalising his second term and countering far-right gains ahead of European elections in June. Attal, 34, previously served as education minister and is considered a close ally of Macron, sharing his centrist politics and media-savvy style.
Attal is the first openly gay French prime minister, in a civil partnership with MEP Stéphane Séjourné. He described his appointment as a symbol of audacity, vowing to pursue Macron's pro-business agenda while focusing on youth and education. He acknowledged widespread public doubt about the country's future.
An Elysée source said Attal embodies the 'Macron generation' and that his appointment is part of the fight against populism ahead of the European elections, where Macron's party trails Marine Le Pen's National Rally. RN leader Jordan Bardella accused Macron of clinging to Attal's popularity.
Attal rose in opinion polls as education minister, where he took a hard line on authority and secularism, including banning abayas in state schools. He became well-known as government spokesperson during the pandemic and is praised for his communication skills. Macron said he counts on Attal's energy to restore the spirit of his 2017 election campaign.
