France’s youngest prime minister is a rising political star who follows in Macron’s footsteps

By SYLVIE CORBET
Associated Press

PARIS (AP) — French President Emmanuel Macron’s decision to appoint a 34-year-old prime minister surprised many because of his age and relatively short career. But Gabriel Attal has become one of the most prominent and ambitious figures on the French political scene in recent years, saying there’s “nothing greater than serving France.” The centrist politician is often compared to Macron, France’s youngest president, who went from presidential adviser to head of state in a few years. Attal described his appointment as “the symbol of audacity.” He also is France’s first openly gay prime minister.