Gabriel Attal, 34, to become France's youngest prime minister in decades

Paris: French Education Minister Gabriel Attal has been tipped by President Macron as the new prime minister to replace the outgoing premier, according to a presidential statement released Tuesday.

"The president of the republic appointed Mr. Gabriel Attal prime minister, and tasked him with forming a government," the statement said.

Former Prime Minister Borne resigned on Monday.

Prime ministers in France have a very subordinate position to that of the president and as head of government generally follows the political course laid out by the head of state.

Attal, 34, came to widespread attention in France as the government spokesman during the coronavirus pandemic.

He has emerged as one of the country's most popular politicians in recent opinion polls, and is a close ally of the president.

The previous youngest premier was Laurent Fabius, who was named prime minister in 1987 by late President Francois Mitterrand aged 37.

The appointment comes as Macron and allied centrist forces seek to slow the momentum of the far right under Marine Le Pen ahead of European Parliament elections this summer.

The president is also seeking a fresh image for the last three years of his second and last term following protests over unpopular pension reforms, the loss of his overall majority in parliamentary elections and controversy over immigration legislation.