Indians go 'RaGa' over Gabriel Attal's appointment as France's youngest PM; troll 'yuva leader' Rahul Gandhi
Gabriel Attal has been appointed as the youngest-ever Prime Minister of France, a move initiated by President Emmanuel Macron to embark on a new chapter for the remainder of his term amidst increasing political pressure from the far right.
FollowOn Tuesday, Gabriel Attal was appointed as France's youngest-ever prime minister by President Emmanuel Macron, aiming for a fresh start amid increased political pressure from the far right. Macron's office officially announced the appointment of Attal, a 34-year-old who gained prominence as the government spokesman and education minister. Notably, Attal is France's first openly gay prime minister.
The change in leadership comes after the resignation of his predecessor, Elisabeth Borne, on Monday, amid political upheaval over a controversial immigration law strengthening the government's deportation capabilities.
As Macron, who became France's youngest-ever president in 2017, works with Attal to form a new government, key ministers are expected to retain their positions.
The 46-year-old president has shifted his stance on security and migration issues towards the right, responding to the growing influence of the far-right National Rally, led by Marine Le Pen, known for its anti-immigration and anti-Islam policies.
Gabriel Attal, formerly associated with the Socialist Party, joined Macron's political movement in 2016. He served as government spokesperson from 2020 to 2022 and was later appointed budget minister. In July, he took on the prestigious role of education minister.
Attal made headlines by announcing a ban on long robes in classrooms, effective from the new school year in September, citing concerns about secularism. He also initiated a plan to experiment with uniforms in some public schools to shift the focus away from clothing and reduce instances of school bullying.
In a recent TV interview on TF1, Attal shared his experience of facing bullying, including homophobic harassment, during middle school. Despite controversies, French opinion polls indicate that he was the most popular minister in Elisabeth Borne's government.
After Gabriel Attal was named France's new Prime Minister, numerous Indian citizens expressed their opinions on X, formerly Twitter. Many trolled Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, with one user stating, "He is not young he is just kid, If it is 53 year old then we can said young."
A third user asked, "Will India ever get a 30-something PM?," while a fourth X user noted, "....and 53 yr old Pappu is still the youth leader!"
Here's a look at how Indians reacted to Gabriel Attal's appointment as France youngest and first openly gay PM:
