FRENCH President Emmanuel Macron was set to choose yet another prime minister today.

This is widely viewed by observers as the last chance that Mr Macron has to pull the country out of political gridlock and to stave off fresh elections.

France has been in a state of deadlock since President Macron called a surprise general election last year that he clearly hoped would consolidate his right-wing agenda. 

The result was a hung parliament with the left coalition New Popular Front securing the most seats but with the far-right National Rally (RN) becoming the single biggest party.

President Macron was due to meet with leaders of all political parties apart from the RN and the left-wing France Unbowed party today at the presidential palace, according to sources.

Mr Macron’s office said he would pick a name after his seventh prime minister Sebastien Lecornu threw in the towel on Monday following months of stalemate over an austerity budget.

Mr Lecornu, a Macron supporter, agreed to stay on for two extra days to talk to all political parties and said he was optimistic that a new cabinet could get a spending Bill through parliament.

His two predecessors were ousted in a dispute over spending priorities, and a new cabinet he unveiled last Sunday was criticised for not breaking enough with the past.

Mr Lecornu has said a revised draft budget for 2026 could be presented to a council of ministers on Monday, the deadline for the Bill to pass parliament by the end of the year.

This would imply a new cabinet being announced by the end of the weekend. The escalating crisis has seen former allies criticise the president.

Former premier Edouard Philippe earlier this week said Mr Macron himself should step down after a budget was passed. But President Macron has always insisted he would stay until the end of his term.