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The French leader has requested his former prime minister to resume duties as French prime minister a mere four days after he left the post, sparking a week of high drama and instability.

The president declared late on Friday, hours after meeting all the main parties together at the official residence, excluding the leaders of the political extremes.

The decision to reinstate him was unexpected, as he declared on national TV recently that he was not interested in returning and his “mission is over”.

There is uncertainty whether he will be able to form a government, but he will have to start immediately. The new prime minister faces a cut-off on Monday to submit financial plans before the National Assembly.

Political Challenges and Budgetary Strains

Officials said the president had assigned him to build a cabinet, and Macron's entourage implied he had been given complete freedom to make decisions.

The prime minister, who is one of the president's key supporters, then issued a detailed message on X in which he agreed to take on as an obligation the mission given to him by the president, to make every effort to finalize financial plans by the year's conclusion and address the daily concerns of our compatriots.

Partisan conflicts over how to bring down the country's public debt and cut the budget deficit have led to the resignation of two of the past three prime ministers in the recent period, so his task is immense.

Government liabilities in the past months was almost 114% of national income – the third largest in the eurozone – and current shortfall is projected to amount to 5.4% of the economy.

Lecornu said that no one can avoid the necessity of restoring government accounts. In just a year and a half before the conclusion of his term, he cautioned that anyone joining his government would have to set aside their political goals.

Leading Without Support

Compounding the challenge for the prime minister is that he will face a vote of confidence in a National Assembly where the president has no majority to back him. The president's popularity reached its lowest point this week, according to an Elabe poll that put his public backing on 14%.

The far-right leader of the right-wing group, which was excluded of the president's discussions with party leaders on Friday, said that the decision, by a president “more than ever isolated and disconnected” at the official residence, is a “bad joke”.

His party would quickly propose a challenge against a failing government, whose main motivation was fear of an election, he continued.

Forming Coalitions

Lecornu at least understands the obstacles he faces as he tries to establish a cabinet, because he has already devoted 48 hours this week talking to parties that might participate in his administration.

Alone, the central groups lack a majority, and there are divisions within the traditionalists who have assisted the ruling coalition since he failed to secure enough seats in the previous vote.

So Lecornu will look to left-wing parties for future alliances.

In an attempt to court the left, the president's advisors suggested the president was considering a delay to part of his highly contentious retirement changes enacted last year which increased the pension age from the early sixties.

The offer was inadequate of what progressive chiefs wanted, as they were expecting he would appoint a premier from their side. The Socialist leader of the leftist party stated lacking commitments, they would withhold backing in a vote of confidence.

The Communist figure from the left-wing party commented post-consultation that the left wanted real change, and a premier from the moderate faction would not be endorsed by the French people.

Environmental party head the Green figure remarked she was surprised the president had offered the left almost nothing to the left, adding that the situation would deteriorate.