New 34-year-old Prime Minister could breathe new life into French politics

Becoming the youngest Prime Minister in French history at the age of 34, Mr. Attal is expected to help rejuvenate the government and regain voters' trust.

French President Emmanuel Macron's office announced on January 9 that he has appointedEducation Minister Gabriel Attal as the country's new Prime Minister, replacing Elisabeth Borne. With this decision, Mr. Attal becomes the youngest Prime Minister in French history, taking office at the age of 34.

Observers say this marks a new milestone in the "lightning-fast" rise of Attal, a rising star in French politics. In just over a decade, he has gradually risen from an employee in the office of the Minister of Health to become the second most powerful person in France, after President Macron.

“It was a remarkable rise, even for someone as privileged as Attal,” said Kim Willsher, a Guardian columnist.

Attal was born on March 16, 1989 in Clamart, Hauts-de-Seine department in the Ile-de-France region of France. He grew up in the capital Paris with three younger sisters.

Attal's father, Yves Attal, was a lawyer and film producer of Jewish descent. His mother, a former employee of a film production company, came from an Orthodox Christian family.

Attal attended the École Alsacienne, a private school system in Paris that is considered the top choice for families with high status in the political and artistic fields in France.

Mr. Gabriel Attal, when he was French education minister, at the Elysee Palace in Paris in December 2023. Photo: AFP — Mr. Gabriel Attal, when he was French education minister, at the Elysee Palace in Paris in December 2023. Photo: *AFP*

After graduating from high school, he studied law at Panthéon-Assas University from 2008 to 2011, before continuing his studies at Sciences Po Institute of Political Studies in 2012 and obtaining a master's degree in public relations.

Friends of Attal say his political ambitions were sparked by his participation in youth protests against Jean-Marie Le Pen, the far-right leader who reached the second round of the French presidential election, only to lose to Jacques Chirac in 2002. In 2006, Attal joined the Socialist Party and supported its presidential candidate, Ségolène Royal, in the 2007 election.

In 2012, he worked as a clerk in the office of then French Health Minister Marisol Touraine, the mother of a classmate. Ms. Touraine described Attal as "clever, responsible" and predicted he would have "a bright future, a great career."

In 2016, he became one of the first to leave the Socialist Party to join the fledgling En Marche (En Marche), later renamed the Renaissance (Renaissance) party, founded by Mr Macron. A year later, he was elected to the French parliament.

He became Deputy Minister of Education at the age of 29, the youngest member of the French government since 1958. During the Covid-19 pandemic, Attal was appointed government spokesman by then French Prime Minister Jean Castex and his name quickly became known to many people.

As Secretary of State at the Ministry of Finance from 2022 to 2023, he defended President Macron's controversial pension reform bill. In July 2023, he was appointed Minister of Education and Youth.

In August 2023, he passed a law allowing bullies to be transferred to new schools, in contrast to the previous practice of having the victim transfer schools. Other measures include setting up specialized teams within education departments, confiscating mobile phones in serious cases and offering psychological courses. The most serious bullying cases can be referred to prosecutors.

One of Mr Attal’s most controversial moves was his decision to ban students from wearing the abaya, the long robe worn by Muslim women. The ban sparked outrage across the country but also won him support from many right-wing voters.

Mr Attal is also the first openly gay prime minister in France and is in a relationship with Stéphane Séjourné, 38, a European MEP and secretary general of the ruling Renaissance Party. Séjourné was one of President Macron's political advisers until 2021.

Over the past decade, Mr Attal’s political ideology has shifted from centre-left to centre-right. In 2018, he responded to strikes by staff at the national rail company SNCF, saying France must “get rid of the culture of strikes” and criticising students who had taken part in demonstrations against education reforms.

The decision to appoint Mr Attal as prime minister is seen as an attempt by President Macron to rejuvenate the government, partly to appeal to younger voters ahead of crucial European Parliament elections in June, according to AFP analyst Lara Bullens.

Former French Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne (left) and new Prime Minister Gabriel Attal at the handover ceremony in Paris on January 9. Photo: AFP — Former French Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne (left) and new Prime Minister Gabriel Attal at the handover ceremony in Paris on January 9. Photo: *AFP*

Observers say Mr Attal's most urgent task after taking office is to ensure the government regains public support and trust. Mr Macron and his colleagues hope to be able to better position themselves against Ms Le Pen's far-right National Front, which has gained increasing public support with its anti-immigration and anti-Islam stance.

Like elsewhere in Europe, the far right in France is capitalizing on public anger over the cost of living crisis and the thorny immigration issue, as well as discontent with its leaders, to rally support. Macron’s approval rating fell to 27% this month, according to a monthly poll by Les Echos .

On the same day Mr Attal took office, a top ally of Mr Macron warned that Europe risked becoming “out of control” if the far-right won European Parliament elections and threatened to undermine the foundations of the union.

In the June 6-9 election, more than 400 million voters in 27 European Union (EU) member states will elect the European Parliament for a five-year term. The election will determine the composition of the approximately 700-seat parliament, which is tasked with overseeing Europe's legislative activities.

In comments following Attal's appointment, President Macron said he could count on the new prime minister's "energy and commitment" to revive the "brilliant and daring" spirit of 2017, when he entered the Elysee Palace.

"Attal's youth, his level of public support and his real ability to lead the European Parliament election campaign made the difference," a source close to President Macron's office said of the new prime minister.

Thanh Tam (According to The Guardian, AFP, Reuters )

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