Emmanuel Macron has appointed France’s youngest ever prime minister – and the first to be openly gay.
The French president is expected to officially confirm the appointment of 34-year-old Gabriel Attal, who became a household name as government spokesperson during the COVID pandemic.
The education minister will replace the outgoing prime minister, Elisabeth Borne, as Mr Macron, 46, looks to breathe new life into his second term ahead of European parliament elections in June.
While the move will not necessarily lead to any major political change, it’s viewed as an attempt by Mr Macron to move beyond last year’s unpopular pension and immigration reforms.
Polls show his camp trails far-right leader Marine Le Pen’s party by around eight to 10 percentage points – and bringing the popular Mr Attal on board could be a bid to narrow the gap.
“I know I can count on your energy and your commitment to implement the project of revitalisation and regeneration that I announced,” Mr Macron said to the incoming prime minister on X.
‘New lease of life’
Recent opinion polls suggest Mr Attal is one of the country’s most popular politicians, having made a name for himself as a savvy minister, considered at ease in parliament and in the media.
His first move following his appointment as education minister last year was to controversially ban the Muslim abaya dress in state schools, which made him more popular among conservative voters.
“Gabriel Attal is a bit like the Macron of 2017,” said MP for Mr Macron’s Renaissance Party, Patrick Vignal, who also described him as someone who “is clear” and “has authority”.
At the time a popular figure among voters, Mr Macron first took office as the youngest leader in modern French history.
Mr Attal and Mr Macron have a combined age just below that of Joe Biden, who is running for a second term in this year’s US presidential election.
The pair will work together to name a new government over the coming days, though some ministers are expected to remain in place.
“The Macron-Attal duo can bring a new lease of life,” Harris Interactive pollster Jean-Daniel Levy said.
Macron’s struggles
It comes after a turbulent start to the second term for Mr Macron, whose time in office has until 2027 after he was re-elected in 2022 – though he lost his absolute majority in parliament.
After pushing through an unpopular pensions bill aiming to raise the retirement age from 62 to 64, France was rocked by a series of mass protests last year.
Protesters gathered at Place de la Bastille during a rally in March last year. Pic: AP
His government survived two subsequent motions of no confidence, which would have forced resignations.
Opposition leaders pointed to Mr Macron’s struggles and were dismissive of the new appointment, saying they do not expect much to change.
“By appointing Gabriel Attal… Emmanuel Macron wants to cling to his popularity in opinion polls to alleviate the pain of an interminable end to his reign,” said Jordan Bardella, leader of Ms Le Pen’s National Rally.
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“Instead, he risks taking the short-lived education minister with him in his fall.”
Meanwhile, Socialist Party leader Olivier Faure told France Inter radio: “Elisabeth Borne, Gabriel Attal or someone else, I don’t care, it will just be the same policies.”
