French President to hold talks with key players in bid to form new govt

French President Emmanuel Macron will hold talks with key political players in a bid to form a new government, after surprise legislative elections last month resulted in no party winning the majority at the National Assembly, France's powerful lower house of parliament.

Macron's office said meetings with leaders of France's main political parties will be held on Friday and Monday at the Elysee presidential palace in order to keep moving towards the broadest and most stable majority possible.

The appointment of a prime minister will follow on from these consultations and their conclusions, the statement said.

A leftist coalition, the New Popular Front, won about one-third of the seats at the National Assembly, more than any other group, in last month's legislative elections. Macron's centrist alliance came out second and the far-right National Rally emerged in third position.

The absence of any dominant political bloc -- and the prospect of a hung parliament and political paralysis