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President Emmanuel Macron has asked his former prime minister to come back as French prime minister only four days after he resigned, sparking a stretch of high drama and instability.

Macron stated towards the end of the week, following meeting leading factions collectively at the presidential palace, except for the representatives of the far right and far left.

His reappointment was unexpected, as he declared on television recently that he was not seeking the position and his task was complete.

There is uncertainty whether he will be able to assemble a cabinet, but he will have to hit the ground running. The new prime minister faces a time limit on the start of the week to submit financial plans before parliament.

Governing Obstacles and Fiscal Demands

The presidency announced the president had given him the duty of creating a administration, and those close to the president indicated he had been given complete freedom to proceed.

The prime minister, who is one of a trusted associate, then issued a detailed message on social media in which he consented to as an obligation the task assigned by the president, to make every effort to provide France with a budget by the year's conclusion and respond to the daily concerns of our countrymen.

Political divisions over how to bring down government borrowing and balance the books have led to the fall of two of the past three prime ministers in the last year, so his mission is immense.

The nation's debt in the past months was almost 114% of gross domestic product – the number three in the eurozone – and current shortfall is estimated to reach over five percent of economic output.

Lecornu said that “no-one will be able to shirk” the imperative of restoring the nation's budget. In just a year and a half before the end of Macron's presidency, he cautioned 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 vote of confidence in a National Assembly where the president has no majority to endorse his government. Macron's approval hit a record low in the latest survey, according to research that put his public backing on 14 percent.

The far-right leader of the right-wing group, which was not invited of consultations with faction heads on Friday, commented that the prime minister's return, by a president increasingly isolated at the Élysée, is a misstep.

The National Rally would quickly propose a motion of censure against a struggling administration, whose sole purpose was fear of an election, he continued.

Building Alliances

Lecornu at least knows the pitfalls he faces as he tries to build a coalition, because he has already devoted 48 hours this week consulting factions that might join his government.

Alone, the moderate factions are insufficient, and there are splits within the right-leaning party who have assisted the ruling coalition since he lacked support in elections last year.

So Lecornu will look to socialist factions for future alliances.

To gain leftist support, the president's advisors suggested the president was evaluating a pause to portions of his divisive pension reforms passed in 2023 which extended working life from 62 to 64.

It was insufficient of what left-wing leaders hoped for, as they were expecting he would choose a leader from their camp. Olivier Faure of the leftist party commented “since we've not been given any guarantees, we won't give any guarantee” for the premier.

Fabien Roussel from the Communists commented post-consultation that the progressive camp wanted genuine reform, and a premier from the moderate faction would not be accepted by the public.

Environmental party head Marine Tondelier remarked she was surprised the president had given minimal offers to the progressives, adding that outcomes would be negative.