French President Emmanuel Macron aims to name a new Prime Minister for France "within 48 hours", party chiefs who met him Tuesday told AFP in a bid to end the political deadlock following the ouster of Michel Barnier.
The president invited leaders from across the political spectrum, leaving out the far-right National Rally (RN) and hard-left France Unbowed (LFI) who hold the key to France's hung parliament.
Macron's initiative came as caretaker ministers scrambled to clarify France's 2025 finances, after the last administration fell over its cost-cutting budget.
Barnier had been supported by the conservative Republicans and Macron's centrist camp.
But the alliance was far short of a National Assembly majority and was brought down by the united left, including LFI, and Marine Le Pen's RN.
It was unclear how a broader base of support could be built for any new government.
Most leaders are unwilling to compromise on issues such as last year's widely-loathed pension reform, or to tarnish their electoral image by cooperating with the unpopular president.
"We would prefer the debate not continue under (Macron's) auspices for a simple reason, because he is not in a position today to be the referee," Socialist Party chief Olivier Faure had said as he arrived.
"Further discussions should instead take place at the National Assembly," Greens boss Marine Tondelier added.
'Promise again betrayed'
There is little hope for a quick resolution to the crisis. The Greens have ruled out joining a "national interest" government while the Socialists said they would only serve under a left-wing premier -- which has been ruled out by conservatives.
Bringing together so many parties did mark progress from Macron's first attempt to reach consensus after July's snap election, commentator Guillaume Tabard wrote in conservative daily Le Figaro.
"But if even a minimal deal is to be found ranging from the Republicans to the Communists, it will require an enormous labour of negotiation that will take days or weeks," he added.
Outside the talks, the RN again hailed its position as a political outsider.
Le Pen said she relished being awarded the "medal of the opposition" while mainstream parties held "a banquet to share out jobs" in government.
And LFI warned its left-wing allies that they would face consequences if they broke away.
"Who thinks they can win a single seat without us?" party leader Jean-Luc Melenchon told AFP and other media in Redon, northwestern France.
LFI struck seat-by-seat deals with the Greens, Communists and Socialists for July's election to make sure left-wing candidates made it into second-round run-off votes.
Even some in Macron's camp were sceptical.
"He's got it wrong, it's not up to him to form a majority, it's up to his prime minister," one long-time Macron backer told AFP on condition of anonymity.
Tom Barfield, AFP
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