In an effort to inject fresh energy into Emmanuel Macron’s second term and improve his centrist party’s prospects in the upcoming European Parliament elections, Gabriel Attal has been appointed as France’s youngest-ever Prime Minister.

This move does not necessarily indicate a major political shift but signifies Macron’s intention to move past the unpopular pension and immigration reforms of the previous year.

Opinion polls currently show Macron’s camp trailing Marine Le Pen’s far-right party by a margin of eight to ten percentage points. Attal, a close ally of Macron, gained prominence as the government spokesperson during the COVID-19 pandemic and has emerged as one of the country’s most popular politicians in recent opinion polls. He will be taking over from outgoing Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne.

Attal’s appointment aligns with Macron’s promise to introduce new political initiatives at the end of 2023. Macron expressed his confidence in Attal, stating, “Dear @GabrielAttal, I know I can count on your energy and commitment to implement the project of revitalization and regeneration that I announced.”

As France’s youngest Prime Minister, Attal will also be the first openly gay individual to hold the position. Attal and Macron together have an age that is slightly below that of Joe Biden, who is seeking re-election for a second term as the President of the United States this year.

Since losing his absolute majority shortly after his re-election in 2022, Macron has faced challenges in navigating a more tumultuous parliament. Jordan Bardella, the 28-year-old leader of Le Pen’s National Rally party, commented, “By appointing Gabriel Attal, Emmanuel Macron wants to cling to his popularity in opinion polls to alleviate the pain of an interminable end to his reign. Instead, he risks taking the short-lived education minister with him in his fall.”

While some opposition leaders expressed skepticism regarding the impact of the new Prime Minister, with Macron himself taking on much of the decision-making, MP Patrick Vignal, a member of Macron’s Renaissance party, likened Attal to the Macron of 2017. This reference harks back to Macron’s initial rise to power as the youngest leader in modern French history, when he was a popular figure among voters.