Macron nominates long-time ally and leader of centrist bloc François Bayrou as new PM

Bayrou, 73, was named the new prime minister after Michel Barnier's government was toppled by a vote of no confidence on 4 December.

Transcript

00:00French President Emmanuel Macron has appointed François Bayrou, a long-time ally and leader

00:06of the centrist bloc, as new Prime Minister.

00:09The announcement came after Macron and Bayrou spoke for nearly two hours at the Elysee Palace

00:14on Friday morning.

00:16Bayrou's appointment follows the ousting of Michel Barnier, who resigned last week after

00:22a historic no-confidence vote prompted by budget disputes.

00:26Barnier's ousting by Parliament after only three months in office pushed France into

00:31a political crisis.

00:32The current Parliament is divided into three distinct blocs with no clear majority.

00:38The new Prime Minister and his Cabinet will have the daunting task of passing the nation's

00:422025 budget plan in a bitterly divided lower house.