François Bayrou, 73, was named France’s new prime minister after Michel Barnier’s government fell to a no-confidence vote on 4 December. A centrist and close ally of President Emmanuel Macron, Bayrou was appointed on Friday after a two-hour meeting with Macron at the Elysée Palace.

Bayrou, leader of the Democratic Movement party (MoDem), enjoys moderate support, even from some far-right National Rally (RN) MPs. However, he does not have unanimous backing across the political spectrum. Philippe Ballard, an RN MP, stated, “If this hypothesis is confirmed, we’ll give him a chance, as we did with Michel Barnier.” Despite this, the hard-left France Unbowed (LFI) party announced plans to propose a no-confidence vote against Bayrou’s appointment.

Bayrou Faces Immediate Political Challenges

Bayrou’s appointment follows the dramatic ousting of former Prime Minister Michel Barnier, who lost a no-confidence vote on 4 December. Barnier’s downfall came after he tried to push next year’s social security budget through parliament without a vote.

President Macron had travelled to Poland but cut his visit short to finalize Bayrou’s appointment after missing a promised 48-hour deadline set on Tuesday. The full cabinet lineup is expected in the coming days. Bayrou’s immediate challenge will be forming a stable government that avoids another parliamentary collapse.

The new administration must tackle the contentious 2025 budget plan in a deeply divided lower house of parliament. The current legislature is fractured into three blocs, leaving no party with a clear majority after Macron called snap elections last summer. Bayrou must navigate these divisions to ensure the survival of his government and advance Macron’s agenda.