Gabriel Attal Appointed as the Youngest Prime Minister in French History

On Tuesday, January 9, Emmanuel Macron, the President of France, appointed Gabriel Attal, the Minister of Education, as the new Prime Minister tasked with forming a new government. Attal, 34, who has openly declared his homosexuality, is the youngest Prime Minister in French history. He replaces Élisabeth Borne, who resigned from her position on Monday, January 8. Macron wrote in a message on social media platform 'X' to Gabriel Attal: 'I know I can count on your energy and commitment to implementing the revival and reconstruction plan I have announced.' According to Reuters, this appointment is unlikely to lead to any major political changes but reflects Macron's interest in ending the tensions arising from his policies on pension benefits and immigration issues last year, which faced strong opposition from French citizens. Reuters speculated that the appointment of a new Prime Minister could enhance the chances of Macron's centrist party 'Renaissance' in the upcoming European parliamentary elections in June, as Gabriel Attal has been identified as one of the most popular politicians in France in recent polls. Polls indicate that Macron's party is trailing by 8 to 10 points behind the far-right party 'National Rally,' led by Marine Le Pen. Since losing the decisive majority of his party in the French Parliament following his re-election as President in 2022, Macron has faced difficulties in engaging with the Parliament.