Emmanuel Macron has rejected the French Left-wing candidate for prime minister, sparking a furious row as the country continues to be led by a “zombie” government.

On Monday night, the French president said he could not select the candidate proposed by the Left-wing coalition, the New Popular Front (NPF), as they would be unable to govern effectively.

The snap election called by Mr Macron this summer produced three roughly equal camps, between the Left, the centre and the Hard-Right, with none capable of forming a majority.

In a statement released by the Elysée, Mr Macron explained his reasoning for rejecting Lucie Castets, the former civil servant put forward by the NPF.

“Such a government would immediately have a majority of more than 350 MPs against it, effectively preventing it from acting,” he said, after two days of cross-party talks aimed at ending the unprecedented stalemate that has left France without a prime minister for more than a month.

“In view of the opinions expressed by the political leaders consulted, the institutional stability of our country means that this option should not be pursued,” he added.

Under the French constitution, the prime minister is appointed by the president, who in theory is free to pick anyone for the post.

In practice, because the National Assembly has the power to force the resignation of the government with a motion of no confidence, the president has traditionally appointed a prime minister from the elected majority.

Though the Left bloc won the most seats in July’s election, it is not close to the 289 seats needed for a majority in the 577-seat National Assembly.

Members of the Centre and Right have said they refuse to work with the NFP if it includes Jean-Luc Mélenchon’s hard-Left France Unbowed (LFI). The National Rally also said it would seek to topple a Left-wing government, with or without the LFI.

Leaders of the New Popular Front (NFP) angrily condemned Mr Macron’s refusal to select their candidate.

Marine Tondelier, the leader of the Greens, said the president’s actions were a “disgrace” and a “dangerous democratic irresponsibility”.

“The madman at the Elysée dissolves the Assembly on a whim, then sits on the results of the elections,” said François Ruffin, a former member of the hard-Left France Unbowed. “The people must reject Macron, in the name of democracy. He is the cause of chaos and instability.”

Ms Castets, a little-known senior civil servant and economist chosen among the hastily cobbled Leftist alliance after weeks of deliberation, also hit out at Mr Macron.

“Democracy means nothing to the president,” she said in an interview with France Inter Tuesday. “We are faced with a President of the Republic who wants to be President of the Republic, Prime Minister and party leader at the same time.”

France Unbowed announced that it will be submitting a motion to impeach Mr Macron in the National Assembly. Any proposal for prime minister other than Ms Castets would also be subject to a motion of no-confidence, the party added.

“The gravity of the moment calls for a firm response from French society against the incredible abuse of autocratic power of which it is the victim,” a statement from the LFI said.

The party also called for marches and protests in order to force the president to recognise the results of the election.

But outgoing interior minister Gérald Darmanin defended Mr Macron, calling his move practical and necessary.

“The New Popular Front government has no chance of prospering for more than a day,” Mr Darmanin said during an interview with news channel BFMTV.

“All political parties that do not belong to the New Popular Front has that it will censure it the same day the government is appointed.

The president said he will begin a fresh round of consultations with party leaders starting on Tuesday. The NFP has indicated it will not return to the Elysée unless it’s to discuss the appointment of Ms Castets.