New French President Emmanuel Macron is set to name a prime minister and visit German Chancellor Angela Merkel on his first full day in office.


The 39-year-old centrist leader laid out his ambitious plans for France as he took power yesterday, promising to restore France's shattered self-confidence and help rebuild the flagging European Union.


His choice of prime minister will be crucial for the first task, with the 46-year-old centre-right Edouard Philippe from the Republicans party seen as the favourite for the job. Picking him would send a clear signal that Macron hopes to attract other young modernisers from the Republicans to his new centrist party, Republic on the Move, which will contest parliamentary elections in June.