French President Emmanuel Macron will name a new prime minister within the next 48 hours, his office said on Wednesday, after the resignation of outgoing premier Sebastien Lecornu tipped the country deeper into political crisis.

Lecornu told French TV in an interview earlier that he expected a new premier to be named -- rather than early legislative elections to be called or Macron to resign -- in a bid to resolve the crisis.

Macron had on Monday given Lecornu until Wednesday evening to find a way out of months of deadlock over an austerity budget.

Lecornu had resigned early Monday after less than a month in office in the wake of appointing a pro-Macron cabinet that caused consternation on the right and left.

"The president thanks Sebastien Lecornu for the work done over these last 48 hours," the presidency said in a statement to AFP.

He "will name a prime minister within 48 hours", it said, adding that a "path was possible" to agree a budget by the end of the year.

Macron had the options of reappointing Lecornu, naming the eighth........

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