Who is France's New Prime Minister Gabriel Attal

President Emmanuel Macron has touted newly-appointed prime minister Gabriel Attal as someone to infuse the government with ‘energy’ and ‘commitment.’

The 34-year-old, who was up until Tuesday France’s Education Minister, takes over the post from Elisabeth Borne who handed in her resignation on January 8.

But the French opposition took a dig at the newly-appointed PM. Left-wing former presidential candidateJean-Luc Mélenchon took to X to say that Attal was “returning to the role of spokesperson,” arguing that the role of prime minister had effectively disappeared.

Attal is now tasked with forming a new cabinet in a fractious political scene fueled by recent immigration bill controversy and last year's unpopular pension reform.

Born on March 16, 1989, France’s new PM is the son of Yves Attal, a lawyer and film producer of Tunisian Jewish descent, and Marie de Couriss, of French and Greek-Russian ancestry. Gabriel, who has three younger sisters, grew up in Paris and graduated from the Sciences Po university.

He joined the Socialist party in 2006 but left in 2016 to join Macron’s centrist political party En Marche, later renamed La République En Marche (LREM), and again to Renaissance. Considered a staunch ally of France's President, he has often been dubbed “mini-Macron,” rising swiftly through the ranks. Attal was elected to France's lower house of parliament, the National Assembly, in 2017.

The ambitious politician was named spokesperson of La République En Marche in 2018. At 29 became the youngest member of the French government in October of that year, when he was appointed Junior Minister to the Minister of National Education and Youth.

But it was during the COVID-19 pandemic, when he took on the role of government spokesperson from 2020 to 2022, that Gabriel Attal became a household name in France.

The openly gay* politician, who is believed to be in a relationship with memebr of the European Parliament Stephane Sejournet, became Minister of National Education and Youth in July 2023.

His tenure made headlines for overseeing an anti-bullying campaign in schools last year. The plan was to crack down on bullying with “prevention, detection and reactionary measures,” including using 'anti-bullying brigades' and a decree that allowed bullies to be moved to different schools.

Gabriel Attal then proceeded to roll out a controversial ban on the abaya, a loose garment worn by some Muslim women, in French state schools. Although the Action for Muslim Rights (Action Droits des Musulmans) association protested this decision, the French Council of State ruled the measure was constitutional.

While Emmanuel Macron’s popularity rating has continued to tank, recent opinion polls suggest Gabriel Attal is one of the country's most popular politicians.

French media have even speculated that Attal could succeed Macron at the Elysee Palace in 2027 when the French president reaches his term limit. Over a third of those polled supported his appointment as prime minister, according to a recent Odoxa survey.

*Russia has banned the activity of the international LGBT public movement and its subdivisions on its terrotory as extremist.