The Latest Breaking News from Elisabeth Borne

Elisabeth Borne, only the second woman to serve as French prime minister, is making a surprise return to frontline politics as education minister less than a year after losing a job that she never wished to relinquish.

President Emmanuel Macron kicked off negotiations with party leaders on Friday in a bid to resolve France’s political deadlock, which has persisted for more than six weeks since snap legislative elections left the country with a hung parliament.

Macron will be hoping the 34-year-old Attal, who is one of the country’s most popular politicians, will help turn his party’s fortunes around ahead of the EU elections in June.

New year, new face. France's youngest-ever president has named the country's youngest-ever prime minister. We ask why Emmanuel Macron chose to replace Élisabeth Borne with Gabriel Attal and chart the meteoric rise of a 34-year-old Parisian who has already enjoyed stints as city councillor, party spokesperson, budget minister, government spokesperson…

Attal, 34, rose to prominence as the government spokesperson then education minister and had polled as the most popular minister in the outgoing government.

The 34-year-old, who is also the first openly gay French premier, was appointed by President Emmanuel Macron.

Mr Attal – also the country’s first openly gay PM – will now lead a government bruised by spats over immigration and pension reforms and facing a buoyant Marine Le Pen in key European elections in the summer

French President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday named Gabriel Attal as his new prime minister in a cabinet reshuffle that aims to reboot the final three years of his presidency.

Watch live as now-former French Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne hands over the reins to her successor, Gabriel Attal, at the premier’s official residence, Hotel Matignon, following her resignation earlier this week (9 December).