Emmanuel Macron under pressure to appoint new prime minister this week

Outgoing Michel Barnier warns any government will face challenge of debt and a divided society

The French president, Emmanuel Macron, is under pressure to appoint a new prime minister this week after the ousted conservative Michel Barnier warned that any government would face the challenge of public debt and deep divisions in society.

Barnier’s government held its last cabinet meeting with Macron on Wednesday after it collapsed in a no-confidence vote last week.