On Tuesday, Gabriel Attal made history as France’s youngest and first openly gay prime minister, taking over from Élisabeth Borne, who resigned a day earlier.
“I know I can count on your energy and your commitment,” French President Emmanuel Macron said in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, following the announcement.
At 34, Attal’s appointment, according to President Macron, reflects the “spirit of 2017,” the year Macron assumed office as France’s youngest president.
“I could read and hear it: The youngest president of the Republic in history appoints the youngest prime minister in history. I want to see it only as the symbol of boldness and movement. It is also, and perhaps above all, a symbol of confidence in young people,” Attal said during a ceremony.
In his inaugural speech, Prime Minister Attal outlined his priorities, emphasizing making security an “absolute priority” and championing values such as “authority and respect for others.” He pledged to fortify public services, including schools and healthcare, while advocating for more stringent immigration controls.
Gabriel Attal, one of the highest-elected LGBTQ politicians, transitions from his recent role as the education minister to lead France into the European Parliament elections scheduled for June.
Rising through the political ranks over the past decade, Attal began as an adviser in the health ministry and a member of the Socialists party. In 2016, he joined Macron’s political movement, departing from the Socialists. Elected as a member of parliament in 2017, Attal gained recognition for his strong debating skills.
His political journey included serving as government spokesperson during the pandemic in 2020 and briefly as a budget minister after Macron’s re-election in 2022.
In July 2023, he assumed the role of education minister, where he notably prohibited abayas, long robes worn by Muslim women, in schools, citing concerns about secularism. Attal also aimed to introduce school uniforms and spearheaded an anti-bullying campaign, sharing personal experiences of being bullied at the École alsacienne in Paris.
