This week, France made headlines by announcing the appointment of the country's youngest ever Prime Minister. At just 34, Attal's appointment makes him the youngest prime minister in modern French history, beating Laurent Fabius, who was 37 when appointed in 1984.
Of course, this means lots of people are searching for the new French prime minister. Search for Gabriel Attal is up by +110% on Google, and 'husband' is a breakout search term under his name. This is because Attal has also made history by being the first openly gay prime minister in France.
Atal became a household name as government spokesperson during the coronavirus pandemic and has since become a regular contributor to television and radio shows. In fact, Attal has polled as one of France's most popular politicians in recent months. Macron confirmed his choice of Attal for prime minister in a post on X, where he addressed him directly. He wrote he knows he can count on Attal’s 'energy and commitment' to bring back the spirit of 'excellence and audacity' from 2017, when the president first took office.
Here's everything you need to know about Gabriel Attal...
Who is Gabriel Attal?
Gabriel Attal’s father is Yves Attal, a lawyer and film producer of Tunisian Jewish descent who died in 2015. His mother is Marie de Couriss, who is descended from Orthodox Christians from Odesa. Attal grew up in Paris with his three younger sisters.
He had a privileged upbringing, being educated at the prestigious École Alsacienne, a private school in Paris. During a recent TV interview, Attal opened up about being bullied and facing repeated homophobic abuse while there.
After a stint studying public affairs at Sciences Po University, and work experience in the office of the then health minister Marisol Touraine, Attal got a full-time job in the ministry age 23.
How old is Gabriel Attal?
Gabriel is just 34, making him France’s youngest ever prime minister.
How tall is Gabriel Attal?
There are different suggestions of Gabriel's height online. Some outlets say he is 5 foot 9, while others say he is 6 foot 1.
What is Gabriel Attal's net worth?
According to GHbase, Gabriel Attal has an estimated net worth of around $5,000,000 or £3,924,050.
Is Gabriel Attal the new French Prime Minister?
Macron named Gabriel Attal as France’s new Prime Minister, and confirmed his choice this week in a post on X. Attal, who has been dubbed 'mini Macron' moved from the post of education minister and, according to polls, is the country’s most popular politician.
Attal replaces Elizabeth Borne, who has resigned from the position.
What other political positions has Gabriel Attal held?
Attal was a member of the socialist party between 2006 and 2016, but he later switched allegiance, joining Marcon’s party En Marche! – later named Renaissance.
In 2017, he joined The National Assembly, and his first official position for the party was as its spokesperson in 2018. He was made a deputy minister of education at 29, making him the youngest member of government ever under the post-war Fifth republic. During the pandemic, Attal was also appointed as a spokesperson, which is when he began to make a name for himself.
Is Gabriel Attal married?
Gabriel Attal has a civil partnership with French MEP Stephane Sejourne, who is also close to Macron. The couple have been together since 2015 and they share a home together in Paris.
Many headlines have focused on the fact that this makes him the ‘first openly gay’ prime minister in France’s history. On Google, ‘Gabriel Attal gay’ is a breakout search term under his name. It’s a shame that being gay is still considered newsworthy in 2024, but Attal's appointment marks a significant landmark for France.
Is Gabriel Attal Religious?
Attal's father, Yves Attal, is of Tunisian Jewish descent. Attal told Le Monde last year that he is 'not a stranger to transcendence' and still celebrates Orthodox Easter, but he no longer considers himself a religious believer in part because his father, who had relatives deported during the Holocaust, would tell him, 'God died at Auschwitz.'
He has also regularly spoken about how his ancestry has shaped him. In 2019, Attal told the Libération news outlet: 'My father said to me, "Perhaps you’re Orthodox but you’ll feel Jewish all your life, mainly because you’ll suffer antisemitism because of your name."'
Does Gabriel Attal have Instagram?
Yes, Attal does have Instagram, and his handle is @gabrielattal. He has also made a name for himself as one of Macron's most media-savvy ministers, at ease on radio shows and in parliament.
Why does France have a prime minister and a president?
The French political system is slightly different to the one on the UK. In France, the President is directly elected by the French people, and the French Constitution declares him head of state. The President has control over foreign policy and defence.
The elected President then appoints a Prime Minister after parliamentary elections. This needs the approval of parliament, and the Prime Minister must be voted in by elected officials. Almost always, this means the prime minister comes from the party that is in power.
The prime minister is in charge of domestic policy and day-to-day governing and is considered the head of the government.