France’s Socialist party has proposed a Left-wing prime minister as it is expected to emerge as kingmaker in Emmanuel Macron’s attempt to form a new government

As the country faced months of paralysis caused by the ousting of Michel Barnier, the now-former prime minister, Olivier Faure, leader of the Leftist PS (Parti Socialiste), visited the president at the Élysée Palace on Friday, and outlined a plan to end the stalemate.

He told Mr Macron his party could offer “a change of political direction” after the conservative Mr Barnier’s failed attempt to govern.

There would be “reciprocal concessions” on all contentious issues, Mr Faure said, and a “go-between” could be appointed to bring significant parties in the massively divided 577-seat National Assembly together.

These would include Mr Macron’s Renaissance Party, which has 98 seats, and the conservative Republicans, which has 51 seats.

The PS – traditionally one of the most successful parties in France – only has 67 seats, but is a leading member of the 193-seat New Popular Front coalition.

It came into existence in the summer to block the rise of Marine Le Pen’s populist-Right National Rally, which has 126 seats.