French President Emmanuel Macron announced on Friday (Dec 13) that Francois Bayrou will be the new prime minister of France. Bayrou, 73, is a veteran centrist leader and a close ally of President Macron.

Francois Bayrou is new prime minister of France, announces President Macron

French President Emmanuel Macron is not naming the country's new prime minister for now, the news agency AFP reported late Thursday (Dec 5) citing sources. Michel Barnier resigned from the PM's post earlier on Thursday, a day after opposition lawmakers voted to topple his government.

With Macron not naming new France PM for now, who are the top choices?

Macron has been facing criticism from various Muslim-majority countries after he took a tough stand on radical Islam and defended cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad.

France President Emmanuel Macron states Islam as a religion in crisis