French "political prodigy" controversial, 34 year old becomes minister and president | Macron | politics

Author: Wang Zhening

46 year old French President Macron recently reshuffled his cabinet and elected 34 year old Minister of Education, Briel Atal, which has become a hot topic.

Atal can be described as a "fresh meat in politics" and is the youngest Minister of National Education and Youth in France.

His experience is also quite eye-catching: he became a millionaire at the age of 26, had alumni with multiple French presidents, and even gained a small group of fans on social media due to his appearance

Although his political path has been very smooth, he is now facing controversy brought about by labels such as "wealthy second-generation".

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"Rich Second Generation" Goes towards Official Career

Gabriel Atal grew up from a wealthy family.

He was born on March 16, 1989 in Kramar. Father Ive Atal has served as a lawyer and film producer. Mother Mary de Coolis used to be an employee of a production company and later became the mayor.

Atal grew up in Paris with three sisters. After studying at the low-key private school Alsace College in Paris VI, he was admitted to Harvard University in France - the Paris School of Political Science in 2007, and obtained a diploma from the University College and a Master's degree in Public Affairs in 2013.

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During his university years, he applied for the position of secretary of the grassroots party branch of the Socialist Party, but was unsuccessful. Later, he created an organization mainly responsible for organizing student activities.

The management of this institution is responsible for recruiting and training students to go to some impoverished community high schools, and encouraging students to work there.

Influenced by his parents, Atal embarked on the political path at an early age.

In 2006, he joined the Socialist Party to support its candidate Segolena Royal in running for president. During the 2007 presidential election, Athar conducted his first vote.

Afterwards, from 2012 to 2017, he joined the cabinet team of then Left Socialist Party Health Minister Marisol Turena, becoming the youngest ministerial level advisor, writing ministerial level speeches, and serving as a councilor for the city of Vanvers in 2014.

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In 2015, at the age of 26, Atal became a millionaire after his father passed away and inherited over 1 million euros. This did not stop Atal from pursuing career development.

The following year, he made one of the most important choices in his life - to join the "Progressive Party of the Republic" founded by Macron and become one of the capable aides to the future president.

A staunch defender of the President

In 2017, Macron officially took office as the President of France.

In the same year, Atal was elected as a member of parliament in the legislative elections for the 10th district of Upper Seine Province, replacing Andre Santini, who had held the seat for 30 years. In Congress, he was appointed as a member of the Committee on Cultural Affairs and Education, as well as a reporter on student guidance and successful legislation.

In 2018, 29 year old Atal became the spokesperson for Macron's political party. In the same year, he was appointed as the State Secretary of the Ministry of Education and Youth of the Prime Minister Philip's government, becoming the youngest deputy ministerial level official since the establishment of the Fifth French Republic in 1958.

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Since then, Atal's career has developed rapidly, and with his keen political acumen and fluent public speaking ability, he has been regarded by many as one of the most talented representatives in the government.

He has been a member of the Ba'ath Party Executive Committee since 2021. From 2020 to 2022, he served as the government facade and competently played the role of government spokesperson.

The French Ministry of Education announced in 2020 the launch of "study holidays", allocating 200 million euros to cover the missed courses of one million students during quarantine.

During an interview, Atal said that the government hopes to fund "250000 children to study and vacation in various summer camps," of which 200000 will be reserved for "children from priority neighborhoods in the city.".

In addition, Atal always defends the president without hesitation. For example, when the opposition attacks the administrative department or criticizes related plans, he will firmly demonstrate his position.

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As early as 2017, he said, "I believe in Macron, and I hold true loyalty to him."

In 2022, Macron was re elected as president, and the Elizabeth Borne government was established. Atal was appointed as Minister of Public Accounts and was re elected as a member of parliament in the legislative elections of that year. This month, he took over as the Minister of Education and Youth from Pap Ndiaye.

Becoming a minister and enduring controversy

The news of Atal's appointment as Minister of Education has sparked heated public opinion in France.

In fact, before the official announcement of the restructuring list, the outside world was full of doubts about his nomination - whether the Elite School was suitable for the position of Minister of Education?

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In high school, Atal's school was a low-key and upscale private high school. The school is located in the 6th district, one of the most expensive areas in Paris, and has many well-known alumni, such as former French Minister of Health Boussin and internationally renowned lawyer Blanco.

Not only that, this school is different from other aristocratic schools, but also has a Bubo ethnic color that combines Borgia and Bohemia, cultivating many artists, journalists, lawyers, politicians, business and industry leaders.

It was once described by French journalists as the "love school of the caviar left and the liberal right", standing out in the French education market.

Another point that sparked discussion is that the basic tuition fee of the school is 3000 euros per year. In addition, the admission rate of this school is extremely low, with only 86 out of 664 applicants admitted that year.

The World News questioned Atal, saying, "Can a person who grew up in private education and has never sat on a 'public school bench' really become the Minister of Education?" "Can we truly listen to the voice of the education industry and empathize with grassroots teachers?".

Some people have also discovered that while in high school, Atal met her childhood girlfriend, French Chanson diva Joyce Jonathan.

Faced with these criticisms and doubts, Atal responded during a press conference to hand over the Minister of Education on the 20th, "Yes, I have attended private schools, but there is no need to apologize for my parents' choices, nor to criticize the millions of parents who choose schools for their children."

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In fact, French politicians have always been inseparable from the cultivation of elite education. Most political figures, such as President Macron and Prime Minister Pohne, come from private high schools or higher education institutions that specialize in cultivating political and business leaders.

In recent years, public schools in France have been increasingly lacking in resources and teachers, and previous reform goals have not made progress, resulting in a widening gap between public and private secondary schools.

"As the person in charge of the Ministry of Education, he is facing a complex department and a huge civil service team of up to one million people. In the future, he needs to solve thorny problems such as degree reform and teacher shortage," said the magazine "Viewpoint"

Atal clearly knows his situation. In his speech, he stated that during his term, he will ensure that every French student has a teacher responsible every day during their school years to avoid the "teacher shortage" phenomenon that will occur in 2022.

Atal has planned several goals for himself: to put respect for authority and basic knowledge back at the core of the school; Find a lasting solution to the problem of recruiting teachers and make them all happy; Fight against campus bullying, harassment, and violence, so that every child can also be happy in school.

How to achieve results under public pressure is the primary challenge that Athar faces after taking office.