Gabriel Attal becomes France's youngest prime minister – and everyone's saying the same thing

French President Emmanuel Macron appointed Gabriel Attal as prime minister "and tasked him with forming a government" it was announced on Tuesday (9 January).

Attal marks France's youngest prime minister at the age of 34. He is also the first to be openly gay, after reportedly being outed by an old associate in 2018 during his relationship with Macron's former political advisor, Stephane Sejourne.

As a part of France's political system, the prime minister is expected to take charge of domestic policies and the government's ministers.

Macron and Attal will name a new government in the coming days to strengthen Macron's team for the final three years of his presidency. Some ministers are expected to remain.

"Gabriel Attal is a bit like the Macron of 2017," Patrick Vignal, an MP for Macron's Renaissance Party, said, describing him as a person who "is clear" and "has authority".

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Attal will replace Elisabeth Borne. He joined as the youngest minister at 29 years old, before becoming the official government spokesperson the following year, before taking over budgets and then being appointed education minister.

"I know I can count on your energy and your commitment to implement the project of revitalisation and regeneration that I announced," Macron said to Attal on social media platform X/Twitter.

Attal may have had a left-leaning past, but his controversial move to ban the Muslim abaya dress in state schools made him popular among conservatives.

Despite his policies, social media and Redditors all have other things on their minds – and it's not his politics.

"Yes I'm going to like Gabriel Attal, he's damn hot," one person said, while another wrote how it was refreshing to see a "thick head of hair".

"Parliament daddy about to direct the actions of the Government," a third wrote on Reddit.

One person asked: "Is Macron starting a boy band or running a NATO member state?"

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An American Redditor candidly shared: "If we could land this in the US I’d actually give a s*** again."

Meanwhile, others took the opportunity to humorously reflect on their own lives.

"Bro's out here leading a country and I can't even decide what show to watch on Netflix," one person joked, while another added: "I'm 34 and I have accomplished nothing in life. And, this guy is f***ing handsome too. God damn it."

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