Macron to Appoint New Prime Minister Within 48 Hours as Political Crisis Deepens. French President Emmanuel Macron is set to name a new prime minister within 48 hours, aiming to ease growing tensions in a deeply divided parliament. Outgoing PM Sébastien Lecornu — Macron's close ally and the third prime minister to resign in under a year — says the risk of snap elections is "fading" after two days of intense talks with party leaders. But France remains stuck in political gridlock, with no party holding a majority since last year's snap election. Macron's next prime minister faces huge challenges: a €3.4 trillion national debt, a budget that must be passed by year's end, and highly contentious pension reforms. Meanwhile, both the far left and far right have vowed to oppose any new government, and even Macron's allies are starting to distance themselves. With Macron silent since Lecornu's resignation, all eyes are on who will take the job — and whether this move can stabilize France's fractured political landscape. [Instructions: THIS VIDEO MUST NOT BE EDITED FOR LENGTH TO COMBINE WITH OTHER CONTENT]