Reshuffle: who were the heads of government younger than Attal around the world?

At only 34 years old, Gabriel Attal has established himself in the French political landscape to become head of the executive this Tuesday, January 9, succeeding Élisabeth Borne. From government spokesperson to Minister Delegate in charge of Public Accounts, the young political prodigy had become, only a few months ago, Minister of National Education and Youth.

A meteoric rise which, in contemporary news, is not unique in the world. Like him, abroad, other political geniuses have become heads of government in recent years, only a few months after celebrating their thirtieth birthday. Sometimes even beating Gabriel Attal’s “youth” record.

Presented as the “child prodigy” of Austrian politics, Sebastian Kurz became Federal Chancellor of Austria at just 31 years old, in December 2017. At the time, he even became the youngest state leader in the world. The conservative had also made his youth an asset by taking responsibility for changing the codes. “With his youth, his strategic choices and his way of communicating, he surprised everyone,” Patrick Moreau, who conducts research at the CNRS on German-speaking countries, told Le Figaro at the time.

Especially since he is far from being a novice in this area. Sebastian Kurz entered politics at the age of 16 by joining the ÖVP, the large Austrian conservative party. He quickly became its leading figure, to the detriment of his law studies which he ended up abandoning. He gradually climbed the ranks, notably becoming Secretary of State for Integration in 2011. In 2013, this time he became Minister of Foreign Affairs - called "Ministry of Integration and International Questions" - and at the same time, the youngest minister of the Second Republic.

In 2017, it was finally at the head of the executive that he flourished. The adventure did not last very long, however, because the young political wolf was quickly swept away by scandals. In October 2021, he resigned under pressure from oppositions after searches at the Chancellery, the headquarters of the conservative party (ÖVP) and the Ministry of Finance and after an investigation into embezzlement, corruption and influence peddling was launched. open against him. Since then, he has definitively left politics and is trying to get out of his legal troubles.

Sanna Marin, who became prime minister at 34, describes herself as an “ordinary Finn”. In December 2019, while she was Minister of Transport, she was propelled to this position, succeeding the president of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) Antti Rinne.

It was more than ten years earlier that the young woman started her political career. In 2006, she joined the SDP youth movement and ran, two years later, for the municipal elections in Tampere. At this time, however, she faced a bitter failure.

In 2012, she appeared there again and achieved great success. After this victory, the road seems clear for the young rising figure. She became president of the Tampere Municipal Council in 2013 then second vice-president of SDP in 2014. The following year, she entered the Finnish parliament.

By becoming the prime minister of the Nordic country in 2019, Sanna Marin is the youngest leader of the most female government (12 women and 8 men) in the world. She will remain in this position until September 2023, when she is beaten in the legislative elections by the center-right party led by Petteri Orpo.

During her years in power, the young woman was also criticized after the leak of a video showing her, with her friends, drinking and partying in an apartment and then in a bar. Oppositions jumped out, criticizing an inappropriate attitude and accusing her of having had fun like this while she was “on duty”.

At the age of 31, Irakli Garibachvili became the youngest head of government in Europe in 2013. However, he resigned two years later. Since 2021, he has renewed the adventure. He was in fact designated prime minister once again, following the resignation of his predecessor in the midst of a political crisis.