Macron appoints youngest ever French Prime Minister

The news: French President Emmanuel Macron has appointed Gabriel Attal as France's new Prime Minister, at 34 he is the youngest person to have held the position in the country.

The numbers: The 34 year old has been involved in politics for over 10 years, and according to a recent Ipsos poll, is the most popular politician in France. The poll shows Attal holding a 40% approval rating while Macron’s approval rating is just 27%. Marine le Pen, deputy leader of the far right political party, National Rally (formerly National Front), holds an approval rating of 37%.

The context: Attal was previously education minister under within Macron’s cabinet and had turned down a request to become health minister during a reshuffle in 2023. More experienced politicians including finance minister Bruno Le Maire were passed over for the PM role in favour of Attal, making the selection a surprise choice by Macron. Macron is unable to run for re-election in France’s 2027 election, which means his cabinet appointments are likely to significantly impact the shape of the country’s conservative party in the lead up.

Attal succeeds Élisabeth Borne, who stepped down on Monday following a challenging 20 month tenure which saw her struggle to preside over a minority parliament. This was made more difficult given the controversial immigration bills she presided over during 2023.