The tug-of-war between the presidential camp and the right has led to a government nearly evenly divided between the two sides.

Emmanuel Macron has reportedly objected to France’s new prime minister, Michel Barnier, appointing a senator who campaigned against same-sex marriage as “families minister” in his new cabinet.

France edged closer to having a new government, more than two months after a hung election, as new Prime Minister Michel Barnier's office said he had pulled together a list of ministers he will submit to President Emmanuel Macron later on Thursday.