Macron's new PM Bayrou faces budget battle with fractious French parliament
Hindustan TimesBy Gabriel Stargardter and Makini Brice Macron's new PM Bayrou faces budget battle with fractious French parliament PARIS -New French Prime Minister Francois Bayrou said on Friday he faced a "Himalaya" of a challenge to tackle France's deficit, with opponents' lukewarm reactions to his appointment underlining the difficulty of the job he faces. President Emmanuel Macron earlier named Bayrou as his fourth prime minister of 2024, tasking his centrist ally with steering France out of its second political crisis in six months. Bayrou told reporters he wanted to move quickly, but France's stark political divisions mean even the basic task of naming his cabinet could drag on. The pro-Barnier centre-right said it would wait to see Bayrou's proposals before deciding whether to join him, Laurent Wauquiez, the head of the Republican Right grouping in the National Assembly, wrote on X. Far-left France Unbowed party leaders said they would be immediately seeking to remove Bayrou, while far-right National Rally party chiefs said they were willing to give him the benefit of the doubt for the time being.