At age 34, Gabriel Attal — who succeeds today Elisabeth Borne, 62 — is the youngest prime minister ever in French history. Until now, the record was held by Laurent Fabius, who had been appointed by President Mitterrand in 1984, at the age of 37. 

Mr. Attal was probably groomed for his present task last Summer, when he was transferred at President Macron’s insistence to the ministry of Education from the ministry of Budget. On the face of it, that was hardly a promotion.