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The French leader has asked his former prime minister to return as French prime minister only four days after he stepped down, triggering a week of intense uncertainty and crisis.

Macron made the announcement towards the end of the week, shortly after gathering leading factions collectively at the Élysée Palace, omitting the leaders of the extremist parties.

The decision to reinstate him came as a surprise, as he stated on broadcast recently that he was not “chasing the job” and his task was complete.

It is not even certain whether he will be able to form a government, but he will have to hit the ground running. The new prime minister faces a deadline on Monday to submit financial plans before parliament.

Political Challenges and Economic Pressures

The presidency confirmed the president had “tasked [Lecornu] with forming a government”, and Macron's entourage implied he had been given complete freedom to act.

Lecornu, 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 assignment given to him by the president, to do everything to provide France with a budget by the end of the year and respond to the daily concerns of our countrymen.

Ideological disagreements over how to reduce government borrowing and reduce the fiscal shortfall have led to the fall of two of the past three prime ministers in the past twelve months, so his mission is daunting.

Government liabilities in the past months was close to 114% of gross domestic product – the third largest in the euro area – and the annual fiscal gap is expected to amount to 5.4% of economic output.

The premier said that everyone must contribute the imperative of fixing government accounts. In just a year and a half before the completion of his mandate, he warned that anyone joining his government would have to set aside their aspirations for higher office.

Leading Without Support

What makes it even harder for the prime minister is that he will face a parliamentary test in a National Assembly where the president has no majority to endorse his government. His public standing hit a record low recently, according to research that put his approval rating on just 14%.

The far-right leader of the far-right National Rally, which was left out of the president's discussions with political chiefs on Friday, remarked that the decision, by a president out of touch at the official residence, is a “bad joke”.

The National Rally would quickly propose a vote of no confidence against a struggling administration, whose main motivation was fear of an election, the leader stated.

Building Alliances

Lecornu at least knows the pitfalls in his path as he tries to establish a cabinet, because he has already used time this week consulting parties that might support him.

On their own, the centrist parties lack a majority, and there are divisions within the traditionalists who have supported the ruling coalition since he lost his majority in the previous vote.

So Lecornu will seek progressive groups for potential support.

As a gesture to progressives, the president's advisors indicated the president was considering a delay to some aspects of his divisive pension reforms implemented recently which extended working life from 62 up to 64.

The offer was inadequate of what progressive chiefs wanted, as they were anticipating he would choose a leader from their camp. The Socialist leader of the leftist party commented “since we've not been given any guarantees, we won't give any guarantee” to back the prime minister.

Fabien Roussel from the left-wing party stated following discussions that the progressive camp wanted genuine reform, and a premier from the moderate faction would not be endorsed by the French people.

Greens leader the Green figure remarked she was surprised Macron had provided few concessions to the left, adding that the situation would deteriorate.