New French Prime Minister Francois Bayrou said on Friday he faced a "Himalaya" of a challenge to tackle France's deficit, with opponents' lukewarm reactions to his appointment underlining the difficulty of the job he faces.

The new prime minister, a Macron ally, must try to assemble a government, regain control of France’s deficit and satisfy warring political factions.

France's new Prime Minister François Bayrou on Friday said he is aware of the challenges he faces amid the country's political and budgetary crises. "Nobody knows more than I do how difficult the situation is,