"One Prime minister has just been ousted and straight away we get another from the right," student Baptiste Sagot, 21, told The Associated Press on Wednesday.

French President Emmanuel Macron has appointed Sebastien Lecornu as the country's fifth prime minister in less than two years, following the resignation of Francois Bayrou.

Over 200 people have been arrested, with reports of fires, blocked roads, and tear gas in central Paris and other major cities.

Critics say appointing a Macron loyalist on such a day amounts to a baptism of fire for Lecornu.

French President Emmanuel Macron named loyalist Sebastien Lecornu, a one-time conservative protégé who rallied behind his 2017 presidential run, as prime minister on Tuesday.

The protest movement is social media based, and supported by the CGT (Confederation of General Workers), the largest trade union in the country.