Early life and background

Gabriel Attal was born on 16 March 1989 in Clamart, a town in the Hauts-de-Seine department of France. He comes from a Franco-Tunisian family, with his father, Yves Attal, being a lawyer and film producer of Tunisian Jewish and Ashkenazi descent, and his mother, Marie de Couriss, from a family of Russian and Greek origin.

Personal challenges and early interests

Attal’s childhood was shaped by the divorce of his parents in 2000 and the death of his father in 2015. He faced bullying during his schooling, particularly online. Despite these challenges, he became interested in politics at a young age, influenced by family discussions and the social issues of the 2000s.

Academic background

Gabriel Attal pursued a path in political science, attending Lycée Alsacienne in Paris. He earned a master’s degree in public affairs from Sciences Po Paris and a law degree from University Paris II Panthéon-Assas.

Personal life and relationships

In his private life, Attal publicly identified as homosexual in 2018. He was in a relationship with Stéphane Séjourné, with whom he formed a civil union from 2017 to 2022.

Early political involvement

Attal became politically active during his adolescence, particularly around the 2002 presidential election. In 2006, he joined the Socialist Party. After political internships, he joined the cabinet of Marisol Touraine, Minister of Health, in 2012, becoming one of the youngest members of a ministerial cabinet at 23 years old.

Political career milestones

Key moments in Attal’s political career include his advisory role at the Ministry of Health from 2012 to 2017, his election as a municipal councilor of Vanves in 2014, and his election as a member of Parliament for Hauts-de-Seine in 2017, 2022, and 2024.

Rise to national leadership

From 2018 to 2022, Attal served as government spokesperson and later as State Secretary to the Minister of National Education. He held the position of Minister for Public Accounts from 2022 to 2023 and Minister of National Education from 2023 to 2024. In 2024, he became Prime Minister and President of the Ensemble pour la République group in the National Assembly.

Future political ambitions

In May 2026, Gabriel Attal officially announced his candidacy for the 2027 presidential election, marking a significant step in his political journey.