French President Emmanuel Macron will on Monday consult with his predecessors François Hollande and Nicolas Sarkozy in a bid to break the country’s political deadlock, according to media reports.
Macron also plans to meet with former socialist prime minister Bernard Cazeneuve, the France Info and BFMTV broadcasters said, citing sources close to the former leaders.
Cazeneuve headed the government under Hollande from December 2016 to May 2017 and could once again be a candidate for the office, media have speculated.
A month and a half after early parliamentary elections in France, Macron has still not appointed a new prime minister. Nor is there any prospect of a viable government majority among the parties.
The election produced a surprise victory for the left-wing alliance Nouveau Front Populaire, ahead of Macron’s centrist forces and the far-right forces around Marine Le Pen, who had been predicted to win. None of the camps secured an absolute majority.
The left-wing alliance made its claim to government clear on several occasions. However, Macron ruled out a pure government of the alliance on the grounds that it would be toppled immediately by a vote of no confidence.
Despite several rounds of consultations between Macron and the parties, it remains unclear how a stable government can be formed in France. Coalitions are unusual in the country, which makes it difficult to form a government.
