FRENCH President Emmanuel Macron held talks today with key political players in a bid to form a new government.

This comes after legislative elections last month resulted in no party winning the majority at the National Assembly, France’s lower house of parliament.

Mr Macron refused to appoint a new prime minister until the Paris Olympic Games were over, opting instead to continue with a caretaker administration from his own neoliberal coalition even though they came in second at the polls.

Members of the left-wing New Popular Front coalition that won the most seats nominated civil servant Lucie Castets for prime minister.

After Friday’s meeting at the Elysee Palace, Ms Castets said that she was ready to govern, and ready for compromise to get things done.

Right-wing politicians also met Mr Macron on Friday, while National Rally leaders Marine Le Pen and Jordan Bardella, who came third in the election but are the largest single party, are expected at the Elysee on Monday. 

Mr Macron’s office said he would name a prime minister based on these consultations, which are aimed at “moving towards the broadest and most stable majority possible.”

Ms Castets said that in her meeting with Mr Macron, he “recognised that a message was sent by the French during the elections” but seemed reluctant to allow an opposition party to form a government.

Marine Tondelier, the national secretary of the Green Party, said: “We need a response by Tuesday.”

“There are urgent issues, and leaving weeks rolling by without facing them is grave and even irresponsible.”

The New Popular Front, which includes the French Communist Party (PCF), France Unbowed, the Socialists and the Greens, has insisted that the prime minister should come out of their ranks as the largest group.

PCF national secretary Fabien Roussel said that the president agreed during the meeting that “we are the only ones to have made a proposal for prime minister.

“It is urgent that he appoints Lucie Castets” as prime minister.

But right-wing lawmakers have made it clear that they would try to bring down any government that includes members from France Unbowed.

Mr Macron appears more keen to construct a coalition from the centre left to the traditional right.

Other names that have emerged in French media as potential prime ministerial candidates include former Socialist Party and ex-prime minister Bernard Cazeneuve and right-wing politician Michel Barnier, the European Union’s chief negotiator for post-Brexit talks.

The French constitution gives the president sole power to name the prime minister.