Emmanuel Macron appoints Gabriel Attal, 34, as France’s youngest-ever prime minister
9 January 2024, 14:31 | Updated: 9 January 2024, 14:33
Emmanuel Macron has appointed Gabriel Attal as France's new prime minister - making him the country's youngest person to ever hold the position.
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Macron's office announced the appointment of Mr Attal, 34, in a statement on Tuesday after predecessor Elisabeth Borne announced her resignation on Monday.
Addressing Mr Attal on X, the French president wrote: “I know I can count on your energy and your commitment to implement the project of revitalisation and regeneration that I announced.”
He has had a speedy rise through the parliamentary ranks, rising to prominence as the government spokesman and education minister, and is now the country's youngest-ever prime minister.
He is also France’s first openly gay prime minister.
French opinion polls show Mr Attal was the most popular minister in Ms Borne's government.
Ms Borne resigned on Monday following recent political turmoil over an immigration law that strengthens the government's ability to deport foreigners.
Macron is set to name a government in the coming days, which he will now work on with Mr Attal - though some key ministers are expected to continue in their posts.
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It also comes ahead of the European Parliament elections in June.
Mr Attal, a former member of the Socialist Party, joined Mr Macron's newly created political movement in 2016 and was government spokesperson from 2020 to 2022.
He was then named budget minister before being appointed in July as education minister, one of the most prestigious positions in the French government.
After being appointed to the position, he soon announced a controversial ban on the abaya dress in classrooms.
The ban took effect with the new school year in September, as he said the garments, worn mainly by Muslims, were testing secularism in the schools.
The appointment of Mr Attal comes follows a tumultuous start to Macron's second term in office after he announced a bill aiming to raise the retirement age from 62 to 64.
