CNN World News Actuality Presented By Claire Evren

Gabriel Attal, the 34-year-old, a rising star in Macron’s Renaissance Party, has been named the country’s new prime minister, a history-making appointment by President Emmanuel Macron.

Attal will be France’s youngest-ever prime minister.
He replaces Elisabeth Borne, who resigned from her post on Monday after a 20-month mandate.

“I know I can count on your energy and your commitment,” Macron said in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, following the announcement.

Gabriel Attal, has served as minister of education and national youth since July. During his tenure, he enacted a controversial ban on the wearing of the abaya in French public schools and has worked on raising awareness of bullying in schools.

Attal, like the French President, was aligned with the center-left Socialist Party before he joined Macron’s centrist political movement. In recent years his politics have drifted at times to the right, though he has maintained a shape-shifting political identity in the mold of his boss.

Attal was the government spokesman during the pandemic, which immediately boosted his profile among the general French public. His political career has since progressed at lightning speed for a man of his age. During Macron’s second term, Attal was tapped to lead the ministry of public works and public accounts before becoming education minister.

As prime minister, he will be charged with forming a new government and ensuring the passage of legislation that advances the president’s agenda. Most power, however, lies with the French presidency.

The French president is likely looking for a political reset ahead of this summer’s European elections and the Olympics in Paris. Surveys show that Attal is one of the more well-liked members of Macron’s government.