Emmanuel Macron has selected 34-year-old Gabriel Attal to succeed Elisabeth Borne as France's Prime Minister.
Attal, who is the youngest PM in modern French history, previously served as Education Minister.
The French Government's former Covid spokesman is being tasked with leading Macron's charge into the upcoming European Parliament Elections in June.
Macron is hoping to boost his electoral chances after National Rally opened up an eight to 10 point lead ahead of polling day.
Gabriel Attal (left) and Emmanuel Macron (right)GETTYAttal, who is in a civil union with MEP Stéphane Séjourné, will go head-to-head with the populist party's 28-year-old leader Jordan Bardella.
He saw off competition from Defence Minister Sebastien Lecornu and former Agriculture Minister Julien Denormandie.
Welcoming Attal to Hôtel Matignon, Macron said: "Dear Gabriel Attal, I know I can count on your energy and your commitment to implement the rearmament and regeneration project that I announced.
"In fidelity to the spirit of 2017: surpassing and audacity. In the service of the nation and the French."
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Gabriel Attal will become France's youngest ever PM
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Thanking Borne for her work over the last 20 months, the French President added: "Your work in the service of our nation has been exemplary every day.
"You implemented our project with the courage, commitment and determination of women of states. With all my heart, thank you."
However, Bardella was quick to slam Macron for appointing Attal as Prime Minister.
Bardella said: "By appointing Gabriel Attal to Matignon, Emmanuel Macron wants to cling to his poll popularity to alleviate the pain of an interminable end to his reign.
Jordan Bardella (left) and Marine Le Pen (right)
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"Rather, he risks taking the short-lived Minister of National Education with him in his fall."
Socialist Party leader Olivier Faure also criticised Macron over his appointment.
He said: "Elisabeth Borne, Gabriel Attal or someone else, I don't care, it will just be the same policies."
Despite criticism from Macron's rivals, a top French pollster suggested Attal's appointment could prove fruitful for the President.
Emmanuel Macron has been criticised for this appointment by his rivals
REUTERSHarris Interactive pollster Jean-Daniel Levy said: "The Macron-Attal duo can bring a new lease of life (to the government)."
Macron found himself in hot water ahead of June's elections to Brussels and Strasbourg, with pension reform among the main reasons for his plummeting popularity.
Polling aggregation website EU Elects last month suggested the centrist coalition behind Macron looks poised to return just 18 MEPs, down from 23 in 2019.
National Rally would likely benefit from the situation, with the populist party increasing its contingent from 23 to 27.
