President Emmanuel Macron was on Tuesday under pressure even from allies to find a rapid solution to France's political deadlock, after his first prime minister and one-time ally urged him to resign for the sake of the country.
Macron, president since 2017, has been battling the worst domestic political crisis of his presidency after the shock resignation on Monday of his seventh prime minister, Sebastien Lecornu.
Macron gave Lecornu until Wednesday evening to thrash out a compromise for a sustainable coalition government but it is far from certain these efforts can succeed.
If this fails, one option is for Macron to dissolve parliament and hold snap legislative elections in the hope of having a more workable make-up in the legislature.
Macron on Tuesday evening held talks with the speakers of both the upper and lower houses of parliament, said an aide, asking not to be named.
The purpose of the separate meetings was not made clear but the president is obliged to consult both speakers if new elections are planned.
After already going through three prime ministers within the space of a year, exasperation is growing with Macron, including within his own camp.
Former prime minister Edouard Philippe, Macron's premier from 2017 to 2020, said presidential polls should be held early once a budget is passed, in comments Le Parisien daily described as a "political bomb".
The next presidential elections, where the far right under Marine Le Pen scents its best ever chance of winning power, are due in 2027 with Macron barred from running and Philippe already declared as a candidate.
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