Who is Francois Bayrou? New French Prime Minister

Paris: Francois Bayrou was appointed as the new Prime Minister of France on Friday. French President Emmanuel Macron named centrist ally Bayrou as the PM, a move, which is claimed to be an effort to calm a political crisis. Francois Bayrou's appointment came a week after the former French Prime Minister Michel Barnier lost a vote of no confidence, forcing him to resign.

The 73-year-old newly-appointed French PM is the founder of the centrist Democratic Movement political party (MoDem) and mayor of the southwestern town of Pau. Reportedly, Bayrou contested for the presidential post three times before rallying behind President Macron in 2017. 

Francois Bayrou is a veteran centrist and ally of President Emmanuel Macron. He is the leader of the centrist MoDem party and a political heavyweight from southwestern France who calls himself a “man of the countryside”.

Bayrou, earlier served as the Education Minister and mayor of the south-western town of Pau. He has been an ally and close confidante to Emmanuel Macron since he swept to power in 2017.

Bayrou is the fourth French prime minister this year as France has struggled with a growing political crisis in a divided parliament. Barnier’s government was ousted last week after only three months in office, and Macron wants to avoid a new government facing the same fate.

Bayrou is expected to meet with political leaders from different parties soon to discuss selecting new ministers.

This task will be difficult because President Macron's centrist party does not have a majority in parliament. Bayrou's new cabinet will need support from moderate lawmakers from both the left and right to stay in power.

Some conservatives may join the new government.

Macron's goal is to stop far-right leader Marine Le Pen from having too much influence over the government. Le Pen recently helped push out another minister by teaming up with left-wing forces to pass a no-confidence vote.

Jordan Bardella, leader of Le Pen's National Rally party, said on Friday that his party will wait and see what happens. He added that their "red lines" on certain issues will not change.

Le Pen and other National Rally members have said they want the new budget to protect the financial well-being of French citizens.

Bayrou's appointment is part of Macron's plan to form a peaceful agreement with the Socialist Party, so they will not oppose the government in future votes of confidence.

Mathilde Panot, leader of the far-left France Unbowed group, criticized Bayrou's appointment, calling it a continuation of Macron's bad policies. She said her party is ready to vote for another no-confidence motion against the new government.

Bayrou leads the centrist Democratic Movement (MoDem), which he founded in 2007.

In 2017, Bayrou supported Macron's presidential campaign and became a key partner in Macron's centrist alliance. He was appointed justice minister but resigned shortly after due to an investigation into his party’s alleged misuse of European Parliament funds. Bayrou was cleared of any wrongdoing by a Paris court this year, though other party officials were found guilty and fined.

Bayrou is well-known in France for his time as education minister from 1993 to 1997 in a conservative government. He also ran for president three times, in 2002, 2007, and 2012.