French President Emmanuel Macron appointed Antoine Armand as finance minister, thrusting a 33-year-old with limited political experience into an urgent budget battle in which he must bring fiscal discipline while maintaining tacit support from the far right to avoid government collapse.

French President Emmanuel Macron's chief of staff announced the formation of a new government on Saturday, hoping to put an end to 2-1/2 months of political uncertainty following an inconclusive snap election that delivered a hung parliament.

The government still faces two challenges in the coming weeks: the risk of a no-confidence vote and a tight budget deadline.