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An opinion poll conducted on Thursday by BFMTV suggested that 61% of French voters were concerned about the political situation.
Macron cut short a trip to Poland on Thursday and was expected to name his new prime minister last night, but then postponed his announcement until Friday morning.
Macron has vowed to remain in office until his second term ends in 2027, despite Barnier’s fall last week.
If Bayrou is elected, the challenge will be to form a government that will not be toppled like Barnier’s was in the National Assembly.
It is believed that he will try to incorporate center-left parties into the government or agree to a pact so that the next prime minister is not also overthrown.
Macron has already held roundtables with leaders of the main political parties, except Jean-Luc Mélenchon’s far-left France Insoumise (LFI) party and Marine Le Pen’s far-right National Rally party.
Among the other favorites to replace Michel Barnier, who lasted only three months as prime minister, were Defense Minister Sebastien Lecornu and former center-left prime minister Bernard Cazeneuve.
French media quoted another potential candidate, former Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian, as saying he had turned down the job because he was over 70.
Former Brexit negotiator Barnier was eliminated when Le Pen’s National Rally joined left-wing MPs in rejecting his plans for €60bn (£50bn) in tax cuts and spending increases. It sought to reduce France’s budget deficit, which will reach 6.1% of economic output (GDP) this year.
