By Dominique Vidalon and Tassilo Hummel PARIS (Reuters) -French President Emmanuel Macron named key ally Francois Bayrou as his fourth prime minister of 2024 on Friday, but the scale of the challenge facing the veteran centrist was immediately clear as the Socialist Party refused to join his coalition government.

François Bayrou, the fourth new French prime minister in one year, faces a deepening political crisis. The veteran politician’s appointment is intended to bring stability to the bitterly split parliament.

It follows a historic no-confidence vote against former prime minister Michel Barnier in the National Assembly.