François Bayrou commands respect - but will he succeed?

It is hard to see how he can avoid the same man-traps that felled his predecessor, writes Hugh Schofield.

British Broadcasting CorporationWatch LiveHomeNewsSportBusinessInnovationCultureArtsTravelEarthVideoLiveHomeNewsIsrael-Gaza WarWar in UkraineUS & CanadaUKUK PoliticsEnglandN. IrelandN. Ireland PoliticsScotlandScotland PoliticsWalesWales PoliticsAfricaAsiaChinaIndiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastIn PicturesBBC InDepthBBC VerifySportBusinessExecutive LoungeTechnology of BusinessFuture of BusinessInnovationTechnologyScience & HealthArtificial IntelligenceAI v the MindCultureFilm & TVMusicArt & DesignStyleBooksEntertainment NewsArtsArts in MotionTravelDestinationsAfricaAntarcticaAsiaAustralia and PacificCaribbean & BermudaCentral AmericaEuropeMiddle EastNorth AmericaSouth AmericaWorld’s TableCulture & ExperiencesAdventuresThe SpeciaListEarthNatural WondersWeather & ScienceClimate SolutionsSustainable BusinessGreen LivingVideoLiveLive NewsLive SportHomeNewsSportBusinessInnovationCultureArtsTravelEarthVideoLiveAudioWeatherNewslettersFrançois Bayrou commands respect - but can he save France from crisis? GettyPresident Macron has turned to a fellow centrist, and one of France's most experienced politicians, to extricate the country from its crisis of government.

But if François Bayrou commands plenty of respect across the political spectrum, it is hard to see how he can avoid the same man-traps that felled his predecessor Michel Barnier.

Appointed by the president as the constitution dictates, the prime minister can nonetheless only function with the support of parliament.

And as the National Assembly is crippled by the same three-bloc impasse as it has been since July - with no possible change before July 2025 - it would be a rash punter who predicted for Bayrou any degree of success.

Since the fall of Barnier a week ago - after a vote of no confidence supported by left and populist right - Macron has consulted with a range of leaders in the hope of forming a new informal coalition to run the country.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cy9qv79n40zo

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