PARIS (AP) — France appointed its youngest and first openly gay prime minister ever on Tuesday as President Emmanuel Macron seeks a fresh start for the remainder of his term in office amid growing political pressure from the far-right.
Gabriel Attal, 34, rose to prominence as a government spokesman and then as education minister and was, according to polls, the most popular minister in the outgoing government.
His predecessor, Elisabeth Borne, resigned on Monday following political unrest over an immigration law that strengthens the government's ability to deport foreigners.
Macron will work with Attal in the coming days to name a new government, although some key ministers are expected to remain in office.
“I know I can count on your energy and commitment,” Macron posted on X in a message to Attal. The president noted that Attal revived the “spirit of 2017” when Macron shook up politics and won a surprise victory as France's youngest ever president on a pro-business centrist platform aimed at revitalizing one of the world's largest economies .
During the handover ceremony, Attal said: “I could read it and hear it: the youngest President of the Republic in history appoints the youngest Prime Minister in history.” I just want to see it as a symbol of boldness and movement. It is also and perhaps above all a symbol of trust in young people.”
Attal said his goals include making safety an “absolute priority” and promoting values such as “authority and respect for others.” He also promised to strengthen public services, including schools and health care, and to work for “better control of immigration.”
Macron, 46, has moved to the right on security and migration issues since his election, particularly as far-right rival Marine Le Pen and her anti-immigration and anti-Islam National Rally party have gained political influence.
The president's second term lasts until 2027; he is constitutionally prohibited from serving a third consecutive term. Political observers have suggested that Macron, a staunch supporter of European integration, wants his new government to prepare for European elections in June, where far-right, anti-EU populists are expected to increase their influence.
Critics from both the left and the right criticized Attal for his limited experience, his Parisian upbringing, which was considered distant from contact with the people of the provinces, and his loyalty to the president.
Le Pen posted on
In a statement, Eric Ciotti, leader of the conservative party The Republicans, said: “France needs urgent action: it needs a different approach.” The Republicans would remain a “responsible opposition” to the centrist government, he added.
The founder of the radical left-wing party France Unbowed, Jean-Luc Mélenchon, mocked Attal in an article on X for “returning to his position as speaker.” The role of prime minister disappears. The presiding monarch alone governs his court.”
In France's political system, the Prime Minister is appointed by the President, is accountable to Parliament, and is responsible for implementing domestic policies, particularly economic measures. The president has broad powers over foreign policy and European affairs and is the commander in chief of the country's armed forces.
Attal, a former member of the Socialist Party, joined Macron's newly formed political movement in 2016 and served as spokesman from 2020 to 2022, a job that made him known to the French public. He was then appointed budget minister before being appointed education minister, one of the most prestigious positions in government, in July.
Attal quickly announced a ban on long robes in classrooms that came into effect with the new school year in September, saying the garments worn primarily by Muslims were testing secularism in schools.
He also launched a plan to experiment with uniforms in some public schools as part of an effort to shift the emphasis from clothing and reduce school bullying.
Attal recently described on national television TF1 how he suffered from bullying, including homophobic harassment, in middle school.
Attal faces the same hurdle as his predecessor: Macron's centrists lost their majority in parliament last year, forcing the government to resort to political maneuvers and use special constitutional powers to pass laws.
The tough negotiations over the immigration law and the heated parliamentary debate raised doubts about the Borne government's ability to pass important legislation.
Last year also saw mass protests in Borne against a law raising the retirement age from 62 to 64, often accompanied by violence, and days of unrest across France sparked by the fatal police shooting of a teenager.
Borne left office saying she was proud of the work done over the past 20 months, which allowed her government to “pass the budget, pension reform, immigration law and more than 50 other texts that address the challenges facing our country.” should meet”.
Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin, who championed the immigration law, said he was ready to continue his work leading the country's police force, especially with the Paris Olympics starting in less than 200 days and major security questions at stake.
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Associated Press writer Angela Charlton in Paris contributed.
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