Gabriel Attal has been appointed as the new prime minister of France, becoming the youngest and the first openly gay head of government, AFP reported.
President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday named 34-year-old education minister Attal as prime minister in a bid to give new momentum to his presidency.
After days of intense behind-the-scenes maneuvering, outgoing Prime Minister Élisabeth Borne resigned Monday evening, with Attal emerging as the favorite to succeed the 62-year-old.
The reshuffle comes ahead of the Olympic Games in Paris and European parliament elections this summer where Macron’s centrist forces risk defeat at the hands of the far-right under Marine Le Pen.
Commentators see the reshuffle as essential to relaunch Macron’s centrist presidency for its last three years and prevent him becoming a “lame duck” leader after a series of crises.
