French President Emmanuel Macron has appointed Education Minister Gabriel Attal as the new Prime Minister.
This move aims to rejuvenate Mr. Macron’s second term in preparation for the upcoming European Parliament elections. While it may not bring about significant political changes, it signifies Macron’s intent to move beyond last year’s unpopular pension and immigration reforms and enhance his centrist party’s prospects in the June EU ballot.
Opinion polls indicate that Macron’s camp is trailing the far-right leader Marine Le Pen’s party by approximately eight to 10 percentage points. As a close ally of Macron, Mr. Attal, who gained prominence as the government spokesman during the COVID-19 pandemic, will replace the outgoing Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne.
One of the country’s most popular politicians in recent opinion polls, Mr. Attal has distinguished himself as a savvy minister comfortable in radio shows and parliamentary settings. Macron, in late 2023, expressed his intention to announce new political initiatives.
“Dear @GabrielAttal, I know I can count on your energy and your commitment to implement the project of revitalization and regeneration that I announced,” Macron stated. At 32, Mr. Attal will be France’s youngest Prime Minister and the first openly gay individual to hold the position. The combined age of Macron and Attal is just below that of Joe Biden.
Since losing his absolute majority shortly after being re-elected in 2022, Macron has faced challenges dealing with a more turbulent parliament. Jordan Bardella, the 28-year-old leader of Le Pen’s National Rally party, commented on the appointment, suggesting that Macron aims to maintain his popularity in opinion polls to mitigate the challenges toward the end of his reign.
Despite the change in prime minister, some opposition leaders do not anticipate significant policy shifts, attributing much decision-making to Macron. Socialist Party Leader Olivier Faure remarked, “Elisabeth Borne, Gabriel Attal, or someone else, I don’t care. It will just be the same policies.” However, Patrick Vignal from Macron’s Renaissance party sees Attal as “a bit like the Macron of 2017,” emphasizing his authority.
