Both the far-right National Rally and center-left Socialist Party declined to back a no-confidence vote in new French Prime Minister Francois Bayrou. But France's parliament remains bitterly divided.

Newly appointed French Prime Minister François Bayrou survived a no-confidence vote on Thursday after the opposition Socialist Party chose not to back the motion. In the surprise turn of events, most Socialist lawmakers decided not to withdraw their confidence in Bayrou's government unlike their left-wing allies,

Politicians from the far-left France Unbowed (LFI), Green and Communist parties have put forward a no-confidence motion against Bayrou's minority government. The political instability in France, which had four prime ministers last year, has rattled markets.

France's government faces a another critical challenge as lawmakers debate a censure motion that will shed light on the Socialist Party's stance among the alliances within a fragmented French parliament.

French Prime Minister Francois Bayrou passed the first test of his new minority government on Thursday as he survived a vote of no-confidence called by the hard left after the centre-left Socialist Party did not back the motion.

The French centre-left Socialist party will not back a no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Francois Bayrou's government, Le Figaro reported on Thursday, citing an intra-party meeting. Dozens of far-left lawmakers have put forward a no-confidence motion against Bayrou,