Macron gives 'full support' to embattled PM as crisis looms in France

President Emmanuel Macron on Wednesday gave his "full support" to France's embattled prime minister, who has called a confidence vote that could see his government collapse next month.

Prime Minister Francois Bayrou said he would request the confidence vote in a bitterly divided parliament on September 8, as he tries to garner enough support for his plan to slash spending.

But the main opposition parties said they would not back the prime minister's plan, with the far right urging Macron to call new parliamentary elections and the hard left saying the president himself must go.

Macron, now on his sixth prime minister since taking office in 2017, chaired a meeting of his cabinet on Wednesday.

The president has given his "full support" to Bayrou's initiative, spokeswoman Sophie Primas said after the meeting.

Macron also called on France's political parties "to act responsibly", Primas added.

"The French president said — and I'll use his exact words — that there is neither denial of reality nor exaggeration of France's financial situation," the spokeswoman said.

"France is a solid country, with economic resilience and significant financial capacity."

Bayrou has vowed to "fight like a dog" to stay in power and is expected to discuss the vote of confidence on television on Wednesday evening.

Macron is weighing his options as he seeks to contain the looming political crisis.

If the government falls, he could appoint a new prime minister, dissolve parliament again or resign.

Macron gambled on snap polls last summer in a bid to head off the far-right and bolster his authority, but the move backfired and left a deadlocked parliament.