How old is Gabriel Attal? Everything to know about France's youngest and openly gay Prime Minister

Gabriel Attal was appointed as France's new prime minister by President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday, January 9. 34-year-old Attal was the government's spokesperson and became France's first openly gay prime minister. He took over after Élisabeth Borne, who after 20 months in office, resigned on January 8.

Attal surpassed Socialist Laurent Fabius to become the youngest PM in contemporary French history. Fabius was chosen by François Mitterrand in 1984 when he was 37 years old.

As per France 24, the President is relying on Attal to guide the French government through the EU parliamentary elections, which are set to take place in June.

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Gabriel Attal became France's first openly gay Prime Minister

Gabriel Attal is taking over after Elisabeth Borne (Image via Instagram/@gabrielattal and Facebook/@Gabriel Attal)

Attal is the son of Marie de Couriss, an Odesa-born Orthodox Christian, and Yves Attal, a lawyer and film producer of Tunisian Jewish origin, who passed away in 2015. He goes by Gabriel Attal de Couriss and was raised in Paris with his three younger sisters.

In less than a decade, Gabriel Attal went from being a work experience recruit in the health ministry to being the second-highest-ranking official in the French government.

Gabriel Attal was elected to the parliament following Macron's election in 2017. Attal was one of several individuals who was chosen to advise and support the French president during the early years of his presidency.

From 2020 to 2022, Attal served as the government's spokesperson. It was a role that helped him gain widespread recognition among the French public. He was later named Minister of the Budget before becoming the Minister of Education in July 2023.

Now, in the next few days, Macron, who became the youngest President of France when he took office in 2017, will collaborate with Attal to form a new administration. The French presidency, in a statement released on Tuesday, as per Politico, said:

"The President of the Republic has appointed Mr Gabriel Attal as prime minister, and tasked him with forming a government."

Attal shared the news online (Image via X/@GabrielAtta)

Sharing the news online, Attal uploaded a post on his official X account and translated to English, he said:

“Thank you Mr President for your trust. I appreciate the honor given to me to be appointed Prime Minister. One course: keep control of our destiny, unleash French potential and rearm our country. At work, with strength, humility and without taboos in the service of the French."

Attal's appointment comes after Elisabeth Borne resigned on Monday. Expressing his gratitude to Borne, Attal took to X to address her and translated to English, he said:

"Dear @Elisabeth_Borne, you were a Prime Minister of action and courage. Your personal history as much as your political ethics have made you an example. We know what we owe you. Thank you for everything."

Attal's tweet (Image via X/@GabrielAtta)

As per PBS, during the handover, Attal said:

"I could read and hear it: the youngest president of the Republic in history appoints the youngest prime minister in history. I want to see it only as the symbol of boldness and movement. It is also, and perhaps above all, a symbol of confidence in young people."

In his inaugural speech as prime minister, Attal declared that one of his primary priorities would be school reform, according to Le Monde.