Veteran centrist is the fourth French prime minister this year as country struggles with growing political crisis

François Bayrou, a veteran centrist and ally of president Emmanuel Macron, has been appointed French prime minister, after last week’s historic vote of no-confidence ended the beleaguered and short-lived minority coalition of the rightwing Michel Barnier.

Bayrou, 73, is 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 confidente to Emmanuel Macron since he swept to power in 2017.