By Dominique Vidalon and Tassilo Hummel PARIS (Reuters) -French President Emmanuel Macron named key ally Francois Bayrou as his fourth prime minister of 2024 on Friday, but the scale of the challenge facing the veteran centrist was immediately clear as the Socialist Party refused to join his coalition government.

François Bayrou has been appointed on Friday as the new Prime Minister of France following the resignation of Michel Barnier. The centrist leader met with President Emmanuel Macron at the Élysée Palace early this morning to formalize his appointment.

The new prime minister, a Macron ally, must try to assemble a government, regain control of France’s deficit and satisfy warring political factions.