LR

Bruno Retailleau, the hardline LR interior minister in the previous government, on Saturday said his party should not take any of the portfolios in the next government Lecornu is trying to form.

Either way, LR accuses Lecornu of hiding Le Maire's nomination - apparently Retailleau didn't learn of it until he turned on his television.

Le Maire agreed not to become a minister and Macron gave his outgoing prime minister a last-minute reprieve of 48 hours, to see if he could persuade LR into the government.

The LR are out, but many centrists are starting to mutter too.

With its 40 or so MPs, the LR has become a key part of the centre-right alliance that is trying to run France.