Outgoing French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu, who intensified a political crisis by resigning earlier this week, said Wednesday he expected President Emmanuel Macron to name a new premier within the next 48 hours.

"I feel that a path is possible," Lecornu told French television. "I think that the situation allows the president to name a prime minister in the next 48 hours," he said, adding that he was not "running after" the job.

Lecornu's comments on France 2 public television had been eagerly awaited after Macron gave him until Wednesday evening to find a way out of months of deadlock over an austerity budget.

Macron had been left with the options of reappointing Lecornu, naming the eighth premier of his increasingly troubled mandate, calling snap legislative elections or even res

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