French President Emmanuel Macron has appointed 34-year-old Education Minister Gabriel Attal as the new prime minister, signaling a desire to inject new energy into his second mandate ahead of the European Parliament elections. While the move may not result in significant political shifts, it reflects Macron’s aim to move beyond last year’s unpopular pension and immigration reforms and enhance his centrist party’s prospects in the upcoming EU ballot.
Opinion polls currently show Macron’s camp trailing far-right leader Marine Le Pen’s party by around eight to ten percentage points. Attal, a close ally of Macron who gained recognition as government spokesman during the COVID-19 pandemic, will replace outgoing Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne. Known as one of the country’s most popular politicians, Attal is considered a savvy minister comfortable in various media settings.
In a statement, Macron expressed confidence in Attal, saying, “Dear @GabrielAttal, I know I can count on your energy and your commitment to implementing the project of revitalization and regeneration that I announced.” Attal’s appointment makes him France’s youngest prime minister and the first openly gay individual to hold the position.
The change in leadership is seen as an attempt by Macron to maintain popularity in opinion polls and address challenges in a more turbulent parliament since losing his absolute majority shortly after being reelected in 2022. While some opposition leaders downplayed the impact of the new prime minister, others noted that Macron’s decision-making remains significant.
“Elisabeth Borne, Gabriel Attal, or someone else, I don’t care, it will just be the same policies,” remarked Socialist Party leader Olivier Faure. However, some within Macron’s Renaissance party see Attal as reminiscent of the President’s early days in office, describing him as “a bit like the Macron of 2017″—clear and authoritative.
