France's Macron to appoint new prime minister within 48 hours

"French President Emmanuel Macron will name a new prime minister within the next 48 hours, his office has said, in the latest effort to chart a path out of the worst political crisis of his presidency. The announcement on Wednesday followed two days of last-ditch talks with party leaders by outgoing Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu in a bid to break the country's political deadlock, after his cabinet lineup, unveiled on Sunday, was rejected by allies and rivals alike."

"The Elysee presidential office said in a statement that Lecornu's discussions with various parties had concluded that a majority of lawmakers were not in favour of parliament being dissolved for early elections, and that there was a platform for stability that could make it possible for a budget to be passed by the year's end. On this basis, the President of the Republic will appoint a Prime Minister within the next 48 hours, said the statement."

"In September, Macron tasked Lecornu the fifth prime minister he has installed in less than two years with forming a government after the divided French parliament toppled his predecessor, Francois Bayrou, over a much-maligned austerity budget intended to tackle a debt crisis. But despite Lecornu's promises of a departure from Bayrou's approach, his cabinet, unveiled on Sunday evening, immediately drew fierce criticism from both the right and left for containing many of the same faces from the previous administration."

President Emmanuel Macron will appoint a new prime minister within 48 hours amid the worst political crisis of his presidency. Outgoing Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu held two days of intensive talks after his newly unveiled cabinet was widely rejected by allies and rivals and failed to break the parliamentary deadlock. The Elysee assessed that a majority of lawmakers opposed dissolving parliament for early elections and identified a possible platform to pass a budget by year-end. Macron thanked Lecornu for his efforts. Lecornu had been appointed in September after Francois Bayrou was toppled and resigned the day after unveiling his cabinet, ending a 14-hour administration, the shortest in modern French history.

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