The president appoints modern France’s youngest prime minister

A constitutionalperk enjoyed by modern French presidents is the right to dump their prime minister when in need of a fresh start. So Emmanuel Macron’s decision on January 8th to eject Elisabeth Borne, after little over 18 months in the job, was abrupt but not that surprising. Far more so was her replacement: Gabriel Attal, the 34-year-old education minister. Mr Attal will become France’s youngest modern prime minister.The decision, announced on January 9th, is an attempt by Mr Macron to reset his troubled second term. Mr Attal is a daring rather than a safe choice, and one that carries its own risks. The education minister is younger than Mr Macron was when he first won election to the presidency in 2017, at the age of 39. Even Laurent Fabius, the youngest modern French prime minister to date, was 37 when nominated. It marks a distinct rejuvenation of French politics. Jordan Bardella, who is leading at elections to the European Parliament in June, is 28. Mr Macron and Mr Attal have a combined age lower than that of America’s Joe Biden.