PARIS—French President Emmanuel Macron appointed Francois Bayrou as his fourth prime minister for 2024 on Friday, giving the seasoned centrist the responsibility of guiding the nation out of its second significant political crisis in the past six months.
Passing a special law to extend the 2024 budget will be Bayrou’s top goal. A more intense dispute over the 2025 legislation is expected to arise early next year. Bayrou is a staunch ally of Macron. A parliamentary backlash to the 2025 measure caused the administration of former Prime Minister Michel Barnier to fall.
The 73-year-old Bayrou is anticipated to present his cabinet in the next few days, but he will probably encounter the same existential challenges as Barnier in trying to get legislation passed in a hung parliament with three opposing blocs.
