MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

France appoints youngest-ever, first openly gay Prime Minister

“My goal will be to keep control of our destiny and unleash our French potential,” Attal said during the handover ceremony

The 34-year-old Gabriel Attal Tuesday became France's youngest-ever Prime Minister. He was appointed after the 62-year-old Élisabeth Borne resigned on Monday following indications from President Emmanuel Macron that he wanted her replaced in a move to rebuild his political might ahead of the European elections and the Olympic Games in Paris, according to government sources quoted by local media.

In addition to his age, Attal also makes history for being the first openly homosexual man to hold that office. He has been entrusted with stopping far-right movements from coming to power in 2027 by bolstering the 46-year-old Macron's to boost his second term “industrial, economic, European” and also “civic” rearmament.

“I know I can count on your energy and commitment to implement the rearmament and regeneration project I have announced,” Macron wrote on X, in a message addressed to his new head of government.

“My goal will be to keep control of our destiny and unleash our French potential,” Attal said during the handover ceremony, in which he pledged to focus on work, business, youth, and schools. Until Monday Attal had been serving as Education Minister.

As per her letter of resignation, Borne took a step aside after Macron told her that he wished to appoint a new prime minister. Her 20 months as head of a government without an absolute majority in parliament were marked by protests against the pension reform, imposed through a decree, and by urban riots in mid-2023.

“I never backed down from any reform. I carried out the projects that I considered fair and necessary for our country. And I have stuck to the course set by the president,” said Borne.

The approval in December of a migration reform to win over the rightwing movements split the ruling party and drove Macron to relaunch his second term in office.

Attal's political career began in the Socialist Party before joining Macron's ranks in 2016. During his six-month tenure as Education Minister, the son of a film producer and former student of the elitist Alsatian School in Paris advocated a school of “rights and duties”, banned the abaya - the dress worn by Muslim women - and said he was open to experimenting with the use of uniforms. His political rise is reminiscent of that of Macron, who became president in 2017 at the age of 39.

“Emmanuel Macron succeeds himself,” joked Socialist leader Olivier Faure. “Attal resumes his position as spokesman. The role of prime minister disappears,” added his left-wing counterpart, Jean-Luc Mélenchon.

Far-right leader Marine Le Pen spoke of a “childish ballet of ambitions and egos” and insisted the change of government would begin on June 9, with the European Parliament elections. Le Pen's party, whose candidacy is gaining momentum for the 2027 presidential elections, leads the European polls with 27% of voting intentions, followed by the ruling alliance's 19%, according to a recent OpinionWay survey.

Macron's centrist alliance lost its absolute majority in 2022 and has since had to rely on the support of the right-wing opposition to pass its key reforms in the French parliament, causing tensions with the leftwing portion of the ruling coalition.

With her resignation, Borne somehow took the blame for the most recent unpopular reforms, particularly those concerning pensions and immigration. She had survived 30 motions of censure.

“Your work in the service of our nation has been exemplary every day. You have led our project with the courage, commitment, and determination of stateswomen. Thank you from the bottom of my heart,” Macron wrote Borne on X after his move to neutralize his own negative image.