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Gabriel Attal appointed as the youngest Prime Minister of France
Agency
January 10, 2024
34-year-old Gabriel Attal has been appointed as France's new Prime Minister and the first to openly declare himself gay. - REUTERS photo
Gabriel Attal was appointed as the youngest Prime Minister of France
34-year-old Gabriel Attal has been appointed as France's new Prime Minister and the first to openly declare himself gay. - REUTERS photo
PARIS: The 34-year-old French Minister of Education, Gabriel Attal, has been appointed as the country's new Prime Minister, a historic appointment by President Emmanuel Macron as he seeks to restore the popularity of his increasingly tarnished government.
Attal's appointment made him France's youngest Prime Minister and the first to openly declare himself gay.
He is a rising political star in Macron's Renaissance Party and has been serving as Minister of Education and Youth since last July.
During his tenure as Minister of Education, he enacted a controversial ban on the wearing of abayas in French public schools and has worked to raise awareness of bullying in schools.
"@GabrielAttal, I know I can count on your energy and commitment to carry out the recovery and regeneration project I announced," Macron said in a message via X.
Attal is a close ally of Macron and became the government spokesperson during the COVID-19 pandemic, appointed to replace Elisabeth Borne.
Not only was Attal ranked among the most popular politicians in France based on a recent opinion poll, but also managed to present himself as a wise minister, in addition to appearing on radio shows and in Parliament sessions.
Late last year, Macron reportedly said he would announce new political initiatives.
After days of speculation, Macron on Monday accepted the resignation of Elisabeth Borne, 62, as Prime Minister after a tumultuous 20-month tenure.
Borne became the first female Prime Minister in three decades when Macron named her to the post in May 2022, shortly after his re-election.
His party then failed to win an absolute majority in parliamentary elections the following month, which ultimately hampered his government's ability to pass new laws.
The French cabinet is expected to undergo a more extensive reshuffle this week as Macron tries to strengthen his team with three years left in his administration.
Macron is grappling with increasingly challenging pressure in Parliament since losing his absolute majority shortly after being re-elected in 2022.
Opposition leaders, however, do not have high expectations for the appointment of the new Prime Minister, in addition, the average decision is said to be made by Macron himself.
"Elisabeth Borne, Gabriel Attal or anyone else, I don't care, it will just remain the same policy," Sociolis Party leader Olivier Faure told France Inter radio station.
Member of Parliament Patrick Vignal of Macron's Renaissance Party described Attal as 'a bit like Macron in 2017' - referring to the moment Macron became the youngest President in modern French history while popular with voters. - Agency
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