Gabriel Attal
Gabriel Attal (born 16 March 1989) is a French politician of La République En Marche! (LREM) who is serving as government spokesperson under President Emmanuel Macron since 6 July 2020.[2]
Gabriel Attal | |
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Government Spokesperson | |
Assumed office 6 July 2020 | |
President | Emmanuel Macron |
Prime Minister | Jean Castex |
Preceded by | Sibeth Ndiaye |
Secretary of State to the Minister of National Education and Youth | |
In office 16 October 2018 – 6 July 2020 | |
President | Emmanuel Macron |
Prime Minister | Édouard Philippe |
Preceded by | Position established |
Spokesperson of La République En Marche! | |
In office 4 January 2018 – 16 October 2018 | |
Preceded by | Benjamin Griveaux |
Succeeded by | Laetitia Avia |
Member of the National Assembly for Hauts-de-Seine's 10th constituency | |
In office 21 June 2017 – 16 November 2018 | |
Preceded by | André Santini |
Succeeded by | Florence Provendier |
Personal details | |
Born | Clamart, France | 16 March 1989
Nationality | French |
Political party | La République En Marche! |
Domestic partner | Stéphane Séjourné[1] |
Alma mater | Panthéon-Assas University Sciences Po |
Early life and education
Attal was born on 16 March 1989 in Clamart. He grew up in the 13th and 14th arrondissements of Paris with three sisters. His father was a lawyer and film producer and his mother worked as an employee of a film production company.[3]
Attal studied at the École alsacienne. His political activity started when he participated in the 2006 youth protests in France.[4] From 2007 to 2013, he studied at Sciences Po. In his first year he created the support committee for Íngrid Betancourt and coordinated support for the Franco-Colombian hostage held by the FARC.[5] He graduated from Sciences Po in 2012 with a Master of Public Affairs, and studied law at Panthéon-Assas University. In 2009-2010, he went on a mission to Éric de Chassey, director of Villa Medici.[6]
After an internship at the French National Assembly with Marisol Touraine during the presidential campaign, Gabriel Attal entered in 2012 the cabinet of the Minister of Health. Until 2017, he worked as an advisor in charge of relations with Parliament and as the Minister's speechwriter.[7]
Attal is openly gay. He was outed on Twitter by his former class-mate Juan Branco in 2018.[8] He is currently in a civil union with Stéphane Séjourné a member of the European Parliament for La République En Marche![9]
Political career
Member of the Municipal council of Vanves
In the 2014 municipal elections Attal was placed fifth on the Socialist Party'list. He was elected as one of the four Socialist Party' councilors of Vanves and took over the lead of the opposition, after the resignation of the head of socialist list.[10]
Member of the National Assembly
Attal was elected to the French National Assembly on 18 June 2017, representing the Hauts-de-Seine's 10th constituency, winning out over the designated successor of André Santini.[11]
Attal is quickly considered the most talented member of parliament, with Amélie de Montchalin. As a député of the National Assembly he became a member of the Commmittee on Cultural and Education Affairs, where he served as whip of the group La République En Marche!.[12]
In December 2017, Attal was appointed rapporteur on a bill on student orientation and student success.[13]
Attal was named spokespeople of La République En Marche! in January 2018 [14] and in September 2018, after the election of Richard Ferrand to the presidency of the National Assemblyy, he ran as a candidate to succeed him as president of the group La République En Marche!, but announced the withdrawal of his candidacy the day before the election when he was considered one of the three favorites to prevail.[15] He later endorsed Roland Lescure instead.[16]
Member of the Government
On 16 October 2018, Attal was appointed Secretary of State to the Minister of National Education and Youth, Jean-Michel Blanquer. At 29, he is the youngest member of a government under the Fifth Republic, beating the previous record set by François Baroin in 1995 by a few months. He is responsible for intervening on youth issues and setting up universal national service.[17]
References
- Branco, Juan (21 March 2019). Crépuscule (in French). Au Diable vauvert. ISBN 979-1030702606.
- "Gouvernement Castex en direct : Darmanin nommé ministre de l'intérieur, Dupond-Moretti garde des sceaux et Bachelot à la culture". Le Monde.fr (in French). 6 July 2020.
- Delphine Bancaud (16 October 2018). "Who is Gabriel Attal, the youngest member of a government of the Fifth Republic?" (in French). 20 minutes. Retrieved 26 October 2018.
- Laurent Telo (13 April 2018). "From the Socialist Party to La République En Marche!, the dazzling moult of Gabriel Attal" (in French). Le Monde. Retrieved 26 October 2018.
- Bruno Jeudy (20 August 2018). "Gabriel Attal: "The day I meet Ingrid Betancourt"" (in French). Paris Match. Retrieved 26 October 2018.
- Pierrick Baudais (20 December 2017). "Who is Gabriel Attal, the future spokesperson for the Republic on the move?" (in French). Ouest-France. Retrieved 26 October 2018.
- "Who is Gabriel Attal, your deputy (LREM) of Issy-Vanves" (in French). Le Parisien. 19 June 2017. Retrieved 26 October 2018.
- "Gabriel Attal, de ses propres zèles". Libération.fr (in French). 23 April 2019. Retrieved 6 June 2019.
- Sidoinec. "Les révélations de Juan Branco sur Gabriel ATTAL et Stéphane Séjourné". Club de Mediapart (in French). Retrieved 6 June 2019.
- Amélie Petitdemange (16 October 2018). "Gabriel Attal: a twenty-something arrives in the government" (in French). Les Échos. Retrieved 26 October 2018.
- "Elections législatives 2017". Ministry of the Interior (in French). Retrieved 19 June 2017.
- Caroline Vigoureux & Jean-Jérôme Bertolus (13 September 2017). "The whips, these LREM deputies from the shadow to the strategic role" (in French). L'Opinion. Retrieved 26 October 2018.
- Camille Stromboni & Alexandre Lemarié (4 December 2017). "Gabriel Attal: "It will be necessary to be very vigilant on the re-entry 2018 at the university"" (in French). Le Monde. Retrieved 26 October 2018.
- ""An honor": the MP Gabriel Attal will be the spokesperson of LREM in January" (in French). France Info. 20 December 2017. Retrieved 26 October 2018.
- Mathilde Siraud (18 September 2018). "Presidency of the LREM Group in the Assembly: Attal and Bonnell throw in the towel" (in French). Le Figaro. Retrieved 26 October 2018.
- Loris Boichot (14 September 2018), Qui sont les sept macronistes qui veulent diriger les députés LaREM après Ferrand ? Le Figaro.
- Alexandre Lemarié (16 October 2018). "Gabriel Attal, Secretary of State at Blanquer" (in French). Le Monde. Retrieved 26 October 2018.