French Prime Minister Francois Bayrou on Wednesday warned that snap legislative polls would not help restore stability in his country, after calling a parliamentary confidence vote in less then two weeks that he is widely expected to lose.

Bayrou's surprise gambit to hold the confidence vote on September 8 has raised fears that France risks entering a period of prolonged political and financial instability.

Should Bayrou lose the vote -- called after months of squabbling over a budget that aims to slash spending -- he must resign along with his entire government.

President Emmanuel Macron could reappoint him, or select a new figure who would be the head of state's seventh premier since taking office in 2017 or call early elections to break that political deadlock that has now dogged Fra

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