France's centre-left Socialist party will not back a no-confidence vote against Prime Minister Francois Bayrou on Thursday, its leader said, which will enable Bayrou's minority government to live to fight another day.

The decision of the Socialists means that Bayrou is safe for now, but remains in a precarious position with budget talks set to open. The far-right National Rally has said it will not vote for Thursday’s no-confidence motion, in order to give the prime minister a chance to govern, but has made no such assurances regarding the future.

The long-term survival prospects of French Prime Minister Francois Bayrou's minority government have shrunk as he fights to keep the Socialist Party from backing a no-confidence vote on Thursday. Although Bayrou looks likely to ride out the no-confidence motion put forward by 58 far-left France Unbowed (LFI),

New French Prime Minister François Bayrou is considering changing the voting system for the National Assembly, he said in his first government statement on Tuesday. The 73-year-old has long been a proponent of introducing proportional representation in France.