Gabriel Attal becomes France's youngest and first openly gay Prime Minister

New Delhi: Emmanuel Macron has appointed Gabriel Attal as the next Prime Minister of France.

34-year-old Attal becomes France's youngest and first openly gay head of government in modern French history surpassing even Laurent Fabius, who was 37 at the time of his appointment in 1984.

This decision comes as Macron seeks to address challenges to his leadership, particularly in the face of the upcoming European Parliament elections and the looming threat from the far-right led by Marine Le Pen.

The reshuffle follows the resignation of Élisabeth Borne, who struggled with a lack of parliamentary majority during her 20 months in office. Gabriel Attal, currently serving as the education minister, steps into the role with the crucial task of leading the French government through the pivotal European Parliament elections scheduled for June.

This reshuffle holds significant importance as it coincides with the Paris Olympic Games and the impending European Parliament elections, where Macron's centrist forces face the risk of defeat against the far-right National Rally under Marine Le Pen.

Political analysts view this reshuffle as a vital step in revitalizing Macron's centrist presidency for the remaining three years and preventing him from becoming a "lame duck" leader. Macron has grappled with challenges such as protests against unpopular pension reforms, the loss of his parliamentary majority, and controversy surrounding immigration legislation since his re-election in 2022.

Although Macron is ineligible to run again in the 2027 presidential elections, the restructuring of his government is deemed crucial to counter the potential ascent of Marine Le Pen.

The reshuffle is seen as an attempt to address the fragility of the current political situation and navigate through the turbulent waters of domestic and international challenges.