Gabriel Attal Becomes France’s Youngest Prime Minister

Paresh Jadhav

9 months ago

Gabriel Attal, 34 years old and Education Minister in France, became its youngest prime minister ever after President Emmanuel Macron chose him to lead his cabinet reshuffle. Attal quickly rose to prominence as an effective spokesperson and polled among France’s most beloved ministers after introducing measures such as banning long robes from schools and promising experiments with school uniforms.

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President Emmanuel Macron

French presidents create broad policies, while their prime minister oversees day-to-day government management. Gabriel Attal made waves in 2023 by banning abayas worn by some Muslim women from school campuses, and initiating civic service programs for teens.

Gabriel Attal managed the government’s official communication during the Covid-19 pandemic and is widely admired in opinion polls. Macron is known to hold close relations with Attal; therefore his appointment may reflect an attempt by him to maintain his popularity after his reshuffle closes out his second mandate.

Mujtaba Rahman, managing director for Europe at Eurasia Group wrote in his research note that Attal will serve as “the face of Macronism” ahead of European elections later this year. Attal recently described on national television channel TF1 how he experienced homophobic harassment at middle school; this testimony led pollster IPSOS to estimate more favorable ratings for Attal than Education Minister Elisabeth Borne.

Gabriel Attal’s background

Gabriel Attal, 34 years old and close ally of President Macron has been chosen as France’s new prime minister following Elisabeth Borne’s resignation. Attal became France’s first openly gay leader when elected into office as head of government in 2017.

Attracted by Macron-led Renaissance Party’s democratic ideology in 2016, he quickly established himself as a key member of its administration. From 2020-2022 he served as government spokesperson, becoming well known to the general public, before being appointed education minister last year. Acclaimed for providing an innovative approach, with measures such as banning long-robed Muslim women wearing state schools from wearing long robes as well as testing school uniforms as ways to prevent bullying, this minister paved way for Macron as his political career was underway.

Patrick Vignal of MP, noted that Attal could be seen as “Macron of 2017”, noting his clarity and authoritative demeanour that make him an impressive force on the political stage. However, Vignal cautioned that Attal’s primary responsibility as PM lies with setting general policies while it falls upon the head of state to oversee day-to-day governance responsibilities.

The appointment

Gabriel Attal, 34 years old and Education Minister under President Emmanuel Macron’s cabinet as part of his cabinet reshuffle, was named Prime Minister Tuesday following Elisabeth Borne’s departure. Attal assumes an even more responsible policy-making position ahead of European Parliament elections this summer.

Attal has seen his career thrive since joining Macron’s La Republique En Marche (later Renaissance) party in 2016. Since then, he has become one of the president’s closest young advisers, serving as spokesperson during COVID-19 pandemic pandemic by communicating effectively with both journalists and members of the public alike.

He briefly held the Minister of Finance and Budget role in 2022 before becoming Minister of National Education and Youth on July 20, 2019. Under French system, president sets general policies while overseeing cabinet meetings while daily government management falls to prime minister.

The future

As France experiences political unrest ahead of European elections in June, President Macron is turning to one of his closest aides for help in steering France through turbulent waters. Gabriel Attal, 34 years old and an adviser of President Macron is now France’s prime minister after Elisabeth Borne’s resignation on Monday.

Attal has made rapid inroads through Macron’s close circle of educated, well-heeled young politicians. He rose quickly within this group as government spokesperson during the coronavirus pandemic and then as budget and education minister.

Attal has an ambitious yet daunting agenda in front of him. From responding to multiple political emergencies and uniting a fractured nation to pushing through long-stalled labor reforms, Attal must address them all while facing growing criticism from right wing critics of his policies. His greatest hurdle may be convincing voters of his competency and control of administration; success as Prime Minister could only heighten that.