When news broke out earlier this month about Gabriel Attal becoming France’s latest prime minister, the headlines made two things about him stand out:

“France Gets Its Youngest and Openly Gay Prime Minister,” New York Times, January 9, 2024;

“Gabriel Attal is France’s youngest-ever prime minister at age 34 and the first who is openly gay,” Associated Press, January 8, 2024;

“Gabriel Attal: five things to know about France's young, openly gay prime minister,” Reuters, January 9, 2024.

In case you missed it, France’s prime minister is young and gay!

CNN at least waited for the byline to give it away: “Attal will be France’s youngest-ever prime minister and the first openly gay man to serve in the post – making him one of the world’s most prominent and powerful LGBTQ politicians” (“Gabriel Attal becomes France’s youngest prime minister,” January 9, 2024).

Fox News even pushed Attal’s youth and sexuality to the second and third sentences respectively in their article, “France appoints Gabriel Attal as youngest-ever prime minister following resignation of predecessor” (January 9, 2024).

“Who is Gabriel Attal, the French PM who climbed the ranks in record time?” asks The Guardian (January 9, 2024), which wasted no time answering that question with Attal’s youth and sexuality. Luckily, the article also mentions his education and political background—usual requirements for the job—in later paragraphs.

The Wall Street Journal actually begins its coverage by describing Attal’s previous role as education minister and current popularity as reasons for his appointment in “Macron Appoints Youngest Prime Minister in France’s Modern History” (January 9, 2024).

At 34, Attal is indeed France’s youngest prime minister. He was also appointed by France’s youngest president, Emmanuel Macron. And he replaces Elisabeth Borne, incidentally France’s only second woman prime minister. NPR manages to focus on how Attal’s age matters politically such as how more senior ministers and government officials will work with him (“What to know about France's young Prime Minister Gabriel Attal, who's causing a stir,” January 11, 2024).

Of course, French media also covered Attal’s appointment. Some of their English-language articles mimicked the Anglo-American media’s focus on his youth and sexuality.1 The global outlet TV5 Monde combines Attal’s age and sexuality with the fact that his appointment was part of a government reshuffle in the January 10, 2024 headline, “Qui est Gabriel Attal, le nouveau Premier ministre français ?”

But by far, the French media stayed away from mentioning the new prime minister’s youth and sexuality in the headlines or even much in the articles.2 The focus in the French media, from left- to right-wing, is the prime minister’s position on key issues, whether he will succeed where his three predecessors have failed, or how much he will help steer President Macron’s policies. It’s not even his age itself that seems noteworthy, rather the relatively short time he has spent in previous government roles.

The Anglo-American attention to Attal’s youth and sexuality relates to essentialism, an idea dating back to Aristotlean and Platonic philosophy that identifies basic, immutable characteristics as defining someone. In France today, essentialisme refers to reducing people to such characteristics and not being able to see beyond traits they have no control over. What you do, how you grow and change in your social environment, isn’t relevant. Essentialism means who you are is what you are.

Perhaps the difference in how the Anglo-American media and the French media portray the new prime minister reveals something about what each prioritizes. Attal’s youth and sexuality certainly matter. Indeed, it is noteworthy when leaders break traditional barriers to entry to such high-level jobs. However, it’s the priority that the Anglo-American media places on these essential characteristics that distinguishes them from the French media. Which is all the more interesting when you consider the emphasis on identity in the United States lately. And this, despite the fact that none of the American presidential candidates is either young or gay.

1: “Gabriel Attal picked as France's youngest PM,” France 24, January 9, 2024

“Gabriel Attal becomes France's youngest prime minister,” Le Monde with Agence France Presse, January 9, 2024

2: “Gabriel Attal nommé premier ministre à la place d’Elisabeth Borne,” Le Monde, January 9, 2024

“Gabriel Attal à Matignon : au RN, la crainte d’un premier ministre jugé « malin et qui vient sur nos terres »,” Le Monde, January 9, 2024

“Remaniement : nommé premier ministre, Gabriel Attal remplace Élisabeth Borne à Matignon,” Le Figaro, January 9, 2024

“Remaniement: l'irrésistible ascension de Gabriel Attal, communicant hors pair et bon élève du macronisme,” Le Figaro, January 9, 2024

“Gabriel Attal : l’homme pressé de la Macronie, L’Humanité,” January 9, 2024

“Remaniement : Gabriel Attal nommé premier ministre, un « clone d’Emmanuel Macron » à Matignon,” L’Humanité, January 9, 2024

“Gabriel Attal à Matignon, un remaniement pour rien,” L’Humanité, January 9, 2024

Photo credits: Gouvernement français