In a historic move, French President Emmanuel Macron appointed 34-year-old Gabriel Attal Prime Minister, making him the youngest person in history to hold the office in the country.
Born on March 16, 1989, in Paris Gabriel Attal who is the first openly gay head of government previously served as the education minister.
He hails from a privileged family as his father, Yves Attal was a lawyer and film producer of half Tunisian Jewish and half Alsatian Jewish descent.
His mother Marie de Couriss was of French and Greek -Russian ancestry and worked as an employee of a film production company.
His father died in 2015, while his mother moved to France from Odessa in Ukraine.
Attal also has three younger sisters.
The now youngest prime minister attended a private school in Paris.
He then studied law at the Pantheon-Ass University from 2008 to 2011.
He also spent a year from 2009 to 2010 working with the director of the French Academy in Rome.
Afterwards, he proceeded with his postgraduate degree in public affairs and graduated from the same university in 2012.
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Though relatively young, Attal boasts a substantial background in French politics, having been affiliated with the Socialist Party at the age of 17.
Gabriel Attal, French Youngest Prime Minister
His appointment came amid a wave of transformations in the French political landscape, positioning him at the forefront of the nation’s leadership making him one of the world’s prominent pro-LGBTQ leaders.
“I know I can count on your energy and your commitment to implement the project of revitalization and regeneration that I announced,” said President Macron.
Attal on his part thanked president Macron for his trust and appointment.
He replaced Élisabeth Borne, who resigned from her post after 20 months in office.
“France will never rhyme with decline, France rhymes with transformation, France rhymes with audacity.
As a prime minister, I will dedicate all the necessary means for its success. It will be one of my absolute priorities as head of government,” declared Attal.
Nonetheless, the 34-year-old rising star in French politics is seen as a key figure in Macron’s efforts to rejuvenate his government.
“Gabriel Attal resembles the Macron of 2017,” said French member of parliament, Patrick Vignal evoking the time when Macron initially assumed office as the youngest head of state in modern French history.
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Journey as a Gay activist
The French Prime Minister’s early years were marked by both personal and professional challenges, including the revelation of his sexual orientation and his subsequent commitment to gay advocacy.
Though relatively young, Attal boasts a substantial background in French politics, having been affiliated with the Socialist Party at the age of 17.
His public identity as a gay man came to light in 2018 after landing his first job in Macron’s government.
It emerged that he was in a relationship with Macron’s former political adviser, Stephane Sejourne.
However, this revelation did not deter him but instead pushed Attal to address the issues of bullying and homophobia, both of which he had faced during his school years.
“Facing adversity has only strengthened my resolve to create a more inclusive society for everyone,” Attal remarked.
He later became the French government spokesperson in 2020 where he was meant to appear weekly in news conferences.
It is worth noting that his political journey includes serving as a junior minister in the ministry of Economic and finance eventually culminating in his appointment as the minister of Education in July 2023.
Ban of Muslim Abaya
Before ascending to the role of Prime Minister, he gained attention for controversial policies such as the ban on Muslim students wearing the abaya, which is a long robe-like garment.
France’s Supreme Court upheld this ban in public schools, with Attal justifying the move.
“When you walk into a classroom, you shouldn’t be able to identify the pupils’ religion just by looking at them,” stated Attal.
Abaya ban faced criticism from various quarters, with teachers and activists arguing that it served as a distraction from more significant issues within France’s education system, such as unequal salaries and shortage of teachers.
