Gabriel Attal is the youngest prime minister in France ever, having been nominated by President Emmanuel Macron in an attempt to stave off a Far Right threat in the upcoming European elections. Restarting his presidency won’t inevitably result in a significant change in politics. However, it suggests that Mr. Macron wants to attempt to move past the divisive immigration and pension changes from the previous year and instead concentrate on other goals, such as achieving full employment.
Early life and education
Mr. Attal, who is openly gay, became the first prime minister of France at the age of 34. He was raised in Paris with his three younger sisters and is the son of the late Marie de Couriss and Yves Attal, a film producer and lawyer who passed away in 2015. Raised as a devout Orthodox Jew, he attended the École Alsacienne, the elite school of choice for prominent parents in politics and the arts in Paris. Later, he studied at the esteemed Sciences Po University, where he earned a master’s degree in public affairs.
His political aspirations were ignited after he witnessed a protest against Marie Le Pen, whom he is currently polling against, following the Far-Right leader’s election to the second round of the presidential contest in 2002 against Jacques Chirac. In 2006, he became a member of the Socialist party and backed Ségolène Royal, the party’s presidential candidate, in the 2007 election.
Entry into politics
Gabriel Attal went from being a work experience recruit in the health ministry in 2012 to the position of prime minister of France in little over ten years. He gained experience from prominent individuals working in the office of the then-health minister Marisol Touraine, who happened to be a classmate’s mother.
This helped him land a full-time position in the ministry at the age of 23. He was named junior finance minister as a member of the French Socialist party. In 2016, he defected to join En Marche, the fledgling centrist political party founded by Mr. Macron, which subsequently changed its name to La République En Marche (LREM). In 2023, he was elevated to the position of minister of education, establishing himself as one of Macron’s most vocal cabinet members. He first rose to prominence in the early years of Macron’s administration as one of several intelligent, well-off young men chosen to provide guidance and assistance. He gained notoriety for being unafraid to voice his ideas.
Political ideology and beliefs
In addition, the incoming prime minister’s job will be to try to boost the prospects of Mr. Macron’s centrist party in the EU elections scheduled for June. According to opinion polls, it lags behind Marie Le Pen, the leader of the Far Right, by eight to ten percentage points. Mr. Attal, the minister of education and a close supporter of Macron who rose to fame as the government spokesman during the Covid epidemic, was frequently mentioned by political insiders and the French media as the clear favorite to succeed Élisabeth Borne. Despite being modest and keeping his personal life secret, he is recognized as the first openly homosexual prime minister of France. He has previously discussed experiencing bullying at school and raised awareness of the negative impacts of bullying. When Mr. Attal was chosen as a junior minister during Macron’s first term in 2018, he was exposed by a former classmate. Stéphane Séjo and he were dating at the time. He is married to 38-year-old Séjourné, a member of the European Parliament and the secretary general of the ruling party, which is currently known as Renaissance.
Rise to prominence
According to a recent Elabe survey for Les Échos, 36% of respondents said Attal would be a fine prime minister, suggesting it would be a well-received choice. Before the announcement of the appointment, Ifop pollster Jerome Fourquet stated: “If it is indeed Gabriel Attal, it was the best card the president could play.”
However, leaders of the opposition quickly stated that they had low expectations for the new prime minister. Whatever happens, the policies will remain the same whether it’s Elisabeth Borne, Gabriel Attal, or someone else.” Leader of the Socialist Party Olivier Faure said. Attal’s early entry into politics has inevitably led to parallels with Macron, who at 39 became the youngest president of France in history. Laurent Fabius, who was appointed head of government by François Mitterand in 1984 at the age of 37, was the youngest prime minister in history. According to French media, Attal may be Macron’s successor after his second term ends in 2027. Despite his relative inexperience, he has already shown himself to be one of the government’s most ambitious ministers.
Conclusion
In conclusion, The prime minister is in charge of enforcing policies and supervising government ministers in the French political system. However, a few powerful government officials are not pleased with the phenomenal rise of a guy referred to as young Gabriel by other ministers.
