French presidents have rarely chosen youth in the appointment of their Prime Minister. However, here are some exceptions.
Emmanuel Macron will reveal the name of its Prime Minister this Tuesday, January 9. Among the possible successors to Elisabeth Borne, the hypothesis of Gabriel Attal is in full swing. If he were indeed appointed to Matignon, the current 34-year-old Minister of Education would become the youngest head of government of the French Fifth Republic. Until now, Presidents of the Republic have often favored experienced personalities for this position, with a few exceptions.
To this date, the youngest Prime Minister in the history of the Fifth Republic is a socialist: in 1984, François Mitterrand named Laurent Fabius in Matignon, then aged 37. The man had won his first elected mandate only six years earlier, becoming deputy for Seine-et-Marne in 1978. However, he had already held several positions in government, just like Gabriel Attal.
An average age of 54 years
Laurent Fabius was the only Prime Minister to take office at Matignon before his fortieth birthday. However, four men were appointed to this position before their fifty years: Michel Debré was 46 years old (1959), as was Edouard Philippe (2017). Jacques Chirac was 41 years old at the start of his first term as head of government in 1974. Alain Juppé was 49 years old when he was appointed in 1995.
The average age of Prime Ministers of the Fifth Republic at their appointment is 54 years old. Five of them were appointed after their sixtieth birthday: Elisabeth Borne was 61, as was Maurice Couve de Murville (1968). Jean-Marc Ayrault was 62 years old, Édouard Balladur was 63 years old. The oldest prime minister remains for now
Pierre Bérégovoyappointed in 1992 by François Mitterrand, at the age of 66.