Faced with a hung parliament, social tensions and ballooning debt, Macron began talks on Friday with key political players in a bid to choose a new prime minister who would form a government and end the deadlock created by snap legislative elections last month.
Members of the left-wing New Popular Front coalition that won the most seats pressured Macron for a quick decision.
Their nominee for prime minister, little-known civil servant Lucie Castets, said after Friday's meetings in the Elysee Palace that she was ready to govern, and ready for compromise to get things done.
But the party only has about a third of the seats in the National Assembly, France's powerful lower house of parliament, and no party has a majority.
Left-wing leaders have decried President Emmanuel Macron's delay of the prime minister nomination. (AP PHOTO)
Macron's centrist alliance came in second and the far-right National Rally came in third.
There is no rule book that requires Macron to name a candidate from the party that won the most seats, or lays out a timeline for a decision.
The absence of any dominant political bloc is unprecedented in France's modern Republic.
Centrists and conservatives are also meeting Macron on Friday, while National Rally leaders Marine Le Pen and Jordan Bardella are expected at the Elysee on Monday.
Macron's office said he would name a prime minister based these consultations, which are aimed at "moving towards the broadest and most stable majority possible".
Castets said that in her meeting with Macron, he "recognised that a message was sent by the French during the elections" but seemed reluctant to allow an opposition party to form a government.
Left-wing leaders have decried Macron's decision to delay the prime minister nomination while he spent time at the Olympics and at the presidential holiday retreat in Bregancon on the French Riviera.
"We need a response Tuesday," said the national secretary of the Greens party, Marine Tondelier.
"There are urgent issues, and leaving weeks roll by without facing them is grave, and even irresponsible."
The New Popular Front, which includes the hard-left France Unbowed, the Socialists and the Greens, has insisted the prime minister should come out of their ranks as the largest group.
Politicians from the centre, the right and the far right have suggested they would try to bring down any government that includes members from France Unbowed.
As president, Macron has sole power to name the prime minister according to the French Constitution.
The French president said in July he would keep the outgoing centrist government on a purely caretaker role to "handle current affairs", notably during the Olympics that ended on August 11.
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