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President Emmanuel Macron has requested Sébastien Lecornu to come back as head of government just days after he stepped down, triggering a week of intense uncertainty and crisis.

The president made the announcement on Friday evening, following gathering all the main parties in one place at the presidential palace, excluding the leaders of the extremist parties.

The decision to reinstate him shocked many, as he declared on television recently that he was not seeking the position and his task was complete.

Doubts remain whether he will be able to form a government, but he will have to act quickly. He faces a cut-off on Monday to present the annual budget before parliament.

Political Challenges and Fiscal Demands

The Élysée announced the president had assigned him to build a cabinet, and Macron's entourage implied he had been given full authority to make decisions.

The prime minister, who is one of the president's key supporters, then published a long statement on an online platform in which he consented to responsibly the assignment assigned by the president, to strive to secure a national budget by the end of the year and tackle the daily concerns of our countrymen.

Ideological disagreements over how to lower government borrowing and reduce the fiscal shortfall have led to the resignation of multiple premiers in the recent period, so his mission is immense.

Government liabilities recently was almost 114% of gross domestic product – the third largest in the currency union – and the annual fiscal gap is expected to hit 5.4% of GDP.

Lecornu stated that no one can avoid the imperative of fixing government accounts. Given the limited time before the completion of his mandate, he warned that anyone joining his government would have to set aside their aspirations for higher office.

Ruling Amid Division

What makes it even harder for the prime minister is that he will face a parliamentary test in a National Assembly where Macron has is short of votes to endorse his government. Macron's approval reached its lowest point in the latest survey, according to research that put his approval rating on 14%.

The far-right leader of the National Rally party, which was left out of the president's discussions with party leaders on the end of the week, said that the decision, by a president increasingly isolated at the official residence, is a poor decision.

His party would immediately bring a motion of censure against a failing government, whose sole purpose was avoiding a vote, he continued.

Seeking Support

The prime minister at least is aware of the challenges he faces as he tries to form a government, because he has already used time this week meeting with political groups that might support him.

By themselves, the central groups are insufficient, and there are divisions within the traditionalists who have helped prop up Macron's governments since he lost his majority in elections last year.

So he will seek left-wing parties for possible backing.

In an attempt to court the left, the president's advisors hinted the president was evaluating a pause to some aspects of his highly contentious retirement changes passed in 2023 which raised the retirement age from 62 to 64.

The offer was inadequate of what left-wing leaders hoped for, as they were hoping he would select a leader from their camp. Olivier Faure of the leftist party stated “since we've not been given any guarantees, we won't give any guarantee” for the premier.

The Communist figure from the left-wing party stated following discussions that the left wanted genuine reform, and a leader from the central bloc would not be accepted by the public.

Environmental party head Marine Tondelier expressed shock the president had provided few concessions to the left, adding that outcomes would be negative.