PARIS — French President Emmanuel Macron has picked François Bayrou to be France’s prime minister, the Elysée said in a statement.
Bayrou will replace Michel Barnier, whose government was toppled last week after trying to pass a slimmed-down social security budget to rein in France’s massive deficit.
Macron had told lawmakers in a meeting on Tuesday that he planned to tap a new premier in the next 48 hours.
Bayrou is likely to form his government in the coming days.
This developing story will be updated.