The French President Emmanuel Macron named Michel Barnier as France's new prime minister on Thursday, hoping the Brexit negotiator and veteran conservative can work with the country's bitterly divided legislature and end the political turmoil that has roiled Macron's presidency.

Michel Barnier has promised to respond to the "anger" of the people in his first speech as prime minister of France.

Speaking at the handover ceremony with his predecessor Gabriel Attal in Paris, Barnier said his new role would concentrate on fixing a raft of problems causing resentment among French voters.