Bayrou appointed as new French prime minister

KABUL (Pajhwok): François Bayrou, a veteran politician, has been appointed as new Fresh prime minister in the wake of last week’s historic vote of no-confidence.

The Guardian reported that Bayrou, 73, was the leader of the centrist MoDem party and a political heavyweight from south-western France who calls himself a “man of the countryside”.

A former education minister, and mayor of the south-western town of Pau, he has been an ally and close confident to Emmanuel Macron since he swept to power in 2017.

Bayrou said he recognised the serious problem of public debt in France and the need for parliament to agree a budget. He called the task mountainous — like politically climbing the Himalayas.

sa/mud