After having been Minister of National Education and Youth since July 2023, on January 9, 2024, Gabriel Attal occupied the position of Prime Minister, succeeding Elisabeth Borne.
At only 34 years old, Gabriel Attal becomes the youngest Prime Minister in the history of the Fifth Republic, beating the record previously held by Laurent Fabius, who arrived in Matignon in 1984 at the age of 37. Gabriel Attal had already become, in 2018, the youngest member of the government of the Fifth Republic. Aged 29, he was then appointed Secretary of State to Jean-Michel Blanquer’s Minister of National Education and Youth.
Gabriel Attal grew up in the 13th and 14th arrondissements of Paris with his three sisters, Noémie, Fanny and Iris. Born into a good family and well educated, Gabriel Attal attended the prestigious Alsatian school. It was there that he met his childhood sweetheart, the singer Joyce Jonathan.
In an interview with Challenge, he admits to having had the chance to grow up in a wealthy environment: “I was lucky to be born in a wealthy environment. I accept it. I tick the boxes of the caricature that some opponents would like doing Macronie” he said.
Gabriel Attal’s father, Yves Attal who died in 2015, practiced as a lawyer before becoming a renowned film producer. He contributed to the making of numerous films such as: High Heels by Pedro Almodóvar in 1991, The Monster by Roberto Benigni in 1994, Stolen Beauty by Bernardo Bertolucci in 1996. Thus, Gabriel was immersed in a cinematographic environment.
According to Paris Match, he even took his first steps as an extra in a free adaptation of the novel La Princesse de Clèves by Madame de La Fayette, directed by Christophe Honoré. Her mother also had a career as a corporate film producer.
Since school, Gabriel Attal has traveled an incredible trajectory, always supported by his mother who does not hesitate to defend and encourage him. Like when he suffered homophobic attacks and was threatened on social networks. “She openly responded from her personal account: “I am Gabriel Attal’s mother, I won’t allow you!”,” Journalists from Le Point confided.
In April 2022, another proof of maternal support in Envoyé Spécial. The new Prime Minister revealed a message from his mother commenting on his debate with Jordan Bardella. “It’s okay, you got out of the little traps well. The journalist was annoying,” she wrote. A message which concluded with a real remark from mom as she told him to go to the hairdresser.
Born on February 28, 1964 in Île-de-France, Marie de Couriss is a woman with rich roots thanks to her two grandfathers. The first, Alexandre de Couriss, was a Russian musician who earned his living as a refugee and tutor. The second, Amédée de La Forest-Divonne, was a real French count.
She also has Jewish, Sephardic and Ashkenazi ancestors, the latter coming from Jeanine Weil, wife of her paternal pediatrician grandfather, born in Paris in 1920 and carrying the traditions of the Jewish ancestors of Alsace-Lorraine.