Less than 24 hours after the departure of Elisabeth Borne, France has a new prime minister. President Emmanuel Macron has appointed Education Minister Gabriel Attal as the new head of government, the Elysee Palace announced on Tuesday afternoon. The 34-year-old is the youngest prime minister in French history.
Attal has been Minister of Education since last year and a close confidante of Macron. The personnel change is seen as Macron’s move in the year of the European elections. Polls show that his party has recently lagged eight to ten percentage points behind the movement of right-wing extremist opposition leader Marine Le Pen.
“Best card the president can play”
Attal is “the best card the president can play,” said pollster Jerome Fourquet. He pointed out the popularity he said Attal gained through his quick actions as Education Minister and through his communication skills. Attal’s new government team should be in place in the coming days.
Macron ‘Mini Me’
Attal is considered popular and has a reputation for being able to discuss matters with representatives of other political camps. As education minister, Attal campaigned, among other things, for a ban on long dresses, which are popular with some Muslim girls, and for testing school uniforms. In terms of type, Macron could also fit Attal better than Borne: Attal’s dynamic character and his steep career remind observers of the president.
Borne had to make way
Borne submitted her resignation on Monday after days of speculation about a government reshuffle. On X, Macron thanked her “from the bottom of his heart” for her “exemplary” work in the service of the country. Borne was appointed in May 2022. She was the second female prime minister in French history, after Edith Cresson in the 1990s.
Borne would have fought for her office to the end, but Macron wanted to open a new chapter with a renewed government team after the unpopular pension reform and the controversial immigration law. The European elections are just around the corner this spring, and in the summer France will host the Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Source: Krone
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