Macron races to choose new PM to address crisis

French President Emmanuel Macron raced to meet a self-imposed 48-hour deadline to name a new prime minister on Wednesday, following the resignation of Michel Barnier's government last week.

This promise came after a three-hour meeting at the Elysee Palace on Tuesday, with leaders from several major political parties, excluding the hard-left France Unbowed party, or LFI, and the far-right National Rally, or RN. Macron's goal is to address the ongoing political crisis and stabilize governance.

At the meeting, Macron proposed three frameworks for collaboration: a "government pact" for parties willing to join his cabinet, a "legislative pact" to ensure parliamentary support for key laws, and a "non-censure pact" where opposition parties agree not to censure the government. The move is seen as an attempt to navigate a fragmented political landscape.