French President Emmanuel Macron announced on Tuesday that he has appointed 34-year-old Education Minister Gabriel Attal as the new prime minister in an effort to inject fresh momentum into his second term before the European Parliament elections.
Attal’s appointment marks a historic moment as he becomes the youngest and the first openly gay prime minister in French history. While this nomination may not precipitate significant political shifts, it signifies Macron’s intention to move past last year’s unpopular pension and immigration reforms, aiming to enhance his centrist party’s prospects in the upcoming June EU ballot.
In a message posted on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter), Macron expressed confidence in Attal, saying, “Dear @GabrielAttal, I know I can count on your energy and your commitment to implement the project of revitalisation and regeneration that I announced.”
Facing a lack of a working majority in parliament, Macron has been contending with challenges in advancing a second-term reform agenda, which has leaned toward the right as he attempts to secure support among conservative voters to counter the surging popularity of the far right.
Opinion polls indicate that Macron’s ruling party is trailing far-right leader Marine Le Pen’s party by around eight to ten percentage points. At 46 years old, Macron and Attal have a combined age just below that of Joe Biden, who is seeking a second term in the upcoming U.S. presidential election.
Attal has recently emerged as one of France’s most popular politicians. As a Macron loyalist, he gained prominence in French politics as the government spokesman during the COVID pandemic, earning a reputation as a skillful communicator. Source – Reuters
