President Emmanuel Macron appointed centrist leader François Bayrou as France’s new prime minister in an attempt to put an end to months of political unrest.
The 73-year-old MoDem party leader and mayor of the southwest, Bayrou, declared that he was fully aware of the “Himalayan” task that France faces and pledged to “hide nothing, neglect nothing, and leave nothing aside.”
Macron’s team views him as a possible consensus candidate, and his job will be to steer clear of his predecessor’s mistakes.
MPs expelled former Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier nine days ago, and on Friday, he welcomed Bayrou to the prime minister’s home.
A plan to reduce France’s budget deficit, which is expected to reach 6.1% of GDP, led to Barnier’s defeat.
