French President Emmanuel Macron's office said on Wednesday that he will appoint a new prime minister within the next 48 hours. This means he will be able to avoid calling a snap election for now.
The new appointment will replace Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu, who resigned on Monday after his Cabinet lineup was met with criticism. He was in office for less than a month.
Lecornu is the fifth prime minister to step down since January last year amid the political turmoil under Macron's minority government.
Wednesday's announcement by Macron's office came after Lecornu, at the president's request, held continued talks with the opposition following his resignation.
The office said Lecornu concluded that a majority of National Assembly lawmakers are against dissolution.
French media had reported that, depending on the outcome of the talks, Macron could be forced to dissolve parliament for snap elections, which is what some opposition parties are demanding.
But observers say it is unclear whether appointing a new prime minister will help resolve France's political crisis, as there are no specific plans on which political parties to work with in forming a new Cabinet.

Quiz 1:
Who resigned as the Prime Minister of France?
A. Emmanuel Macron
B. Sebastien Lecornu
C. The President of the National Assembly
D. The Opposition leader

Quiz 2:
How long was Sebastien Lecornu in office before resigning?
A. More than a month
B. Less than a week
C. Exactly one year
D. Only a few days

Quiz 3:
Why did Emmanuel Macron's office announce the appointment of a new prime minister within 48 hours?
A. To avoid calling a snap election for now
B. Due to popular demand from the opposition parties
C. To resolve France's political crisis immediately
D. To celebrate the French National Day on July 14th

[Answer block]
Answers:
Quiz 1: B
Quiz 2: A
Quiz 3: A