Macron Appoints France's Youngest-Ever, First Gay Prime Minister

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Facts

  • French Pres. Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday appointed Education Minister Gabriel Attal, 34, to be the nation's youngest-ever and first openly gay prime minister, following the resignation of Élisabeth Borne, who said Macron requested she step down, on Monday.1
  • Attal, the son of a Jewish lawyer and filmmaker father and Orthodox Christian mother, was among a select group of young, well-to-do men who were picked to join Macron's youthful campaign. He attended the prestigious École Alsacienne private school, where he said he was bullied, after which he obtained his master's in public affairs from Sciences Po University.2
  • He was a member of the Socialist Party before joining Macron's new coalition in 2016, where he was government spokesman from 2020 to 2022. After that, he was appointed budget minister before rising to education minister, one of the most prestigious positions in the French government. As education minister, he banned long robes worn by Muslims, arguing that they went against secularism.3
  • Borne, 62, helped push Macron's pension overhaul by invoking special constitutional powers, but in the face of backlash over rising immigration issues, her liberal government tried proposing a bill to make it easier to deport foreigners. After more restrictions were added to the bill, right-wing leader Marine Le Pen painted it as a win for her party, demoralizing Macron's faction.4
  • Polls show Attal is one of the most popular French politicians. However, Le Pen's party is polling better than Macron’s by around 10%.5
  • This comes ahead of the European Parliament elections this summer. In the meantime, Attal said his agenda will focus on the economy, employment, and the youth.6

Sources: 1CNBC, 2Guardian, 3FOX News, 4Wall Street Journal, 5The Telegraph and 6France 24.

Narratives

  • Narrative A, as provided by New York Times. France didn't necessarily need a new prime minister — as the economy has fared well against inflation, and foreign investment remains strong. But it did need a fresh face. Attal's appointment isn’t just historic, it also brings youthful energy and quick wit at a time when France needs to be pulled together.
  • Narrative B, as provided by Europeanconservative. Commentators on both sides of the French political aisle have agreed that Attal will be no different policy-wise than his predecessor. Representing the same agenda as Macron, he's merely the next puppet to do his bidding, as the French president looks to take advantage of Attal's popularity and put on a 'centrist' stance that appeases both sides.

Predictions