Willingness to make a budget deal "distances the prospects" of an election, Sebastien Lecornu said. Photo: AP PHOTO

Caretaker French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu has struck a cautiously optimistic tone, saying a deal could potentially be reached on the country's budget by year-end, making the risk of a snap election more remote.

Subscribe now for unlimited access .

Login or signup to continue reading All articles from our website The digital version of Today's Paper All other regional websites in your area Continue

Lecornu's remarks came as he was set to wrap up talks on Wednesday with various parties and report back to President Emmanuel Macron on whether he has found a way to end France's worst political crisis in decades.

"There is a willingness to have a budge

See Full Page