Can New Premier Bayrou Survive France’s Perilous Politics?

France’s lower house of parliament toppled the government for the first time in more than 60 years in early December, forcing President Emmanuel Macron to cast around for a prime minister who could navigate the country’s bitterly divided political landscape.

Macron opted for centrist figure Francois Bayrou, a veteran lawmaker with a track record of striking alliances and forging compromises with both Socialists and conservatives.