Macron appoints Gabriel Attal as Prime Minister in High-Risk Gamble to Stop Far-right Surge
French President Emmanuel Macron has taken a high-risk gamble by appointing Gabriel Attal as the country’s youngest-ever prime minister in a bid to re-energize his struggling presidency and stop the far right’s surge ahead of the European election.
Macron’s decision comes in response to the far-right National Rally outpacing the centrists in polls ahead of the EU election in June. Macron has been under pressure to revitalize his presidency after facing brutal fights last year over immigration and pensions.
Attal, at just 34 years old, has earned a reputation as a fierce attack dog against the far right. His appointment is seen as a strategic move to counter the no-holds-barred election campaign led by 28-year-old Jordan Bardella, the National Rally’s lead candidate.
However, Attal’s nomination also carries a sizeable risk for Macron, as his own reign could be hastened by the appointment of a pugnacious politician with his own ambitions.
The appointment of Attal as prime minister is seen as a bold move by Macron, who is currently struggling in the polls. With only 30 percent approval ratings, his centrist alliance is trailing the National Rally by almost 10 points.
Despite the risks, Attal’s nomination has been met with some optimism from Macron’s allies, who believe that he is capable of embodying Macron’s pro-European vision and securing the support of center-left voters.
Strategically, Attal’s nomination may also help secure the support of center-left voters, as left-wing MEP Raphaël Glucksmann emerges as a competing candidate ahead of the European election. Attal, a former Socialist Party member and the first openly gay prime minister, espouses progressive ideas and has made cyber-bullying and homophobia prominent causes.
Overall, the nomination of Gabriel Attal as prime minister is seen as a last-ditch effort by Macron to halt the far-right surge and re-energize his struggling presidency, signaling a high-risk gamble aimed at reviving his political fortunes.