Macron names ally Sébastien Lecornu as new French PM

President Emmanuel Macron has named close ally Sébastien Lecornu as the new French prime minister, 24 hours after a vote of confidence ousted François Bayrou as head of government.

Lecornu, 39, was among the favourites to take over, and he has spent the past three years as armed forces minister focusing on France's response to Russia's war in Ukraine.

In a statement the Elysée Palace said Lecornu - the seventh PM in the Macron presidency - had been given the task of consulting political parties with the aim of adopting France's next budget.