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President Emmanuel Macron has asked Sébastien Lecornu to come back as the nation's premier a mere four days after he resigned, causing a week of political upheaval and crisis.

Macron made the announcement on Friday evening, shortly after gathering leading factions in one place at the presidential palace, excluding the figures of the political extremes.

The decision to reinstate him was unexpected, as he declared on television recently that he was not “chasing the job” and his task was complete.

Doubts remain whether he will be able to assemble a cabinet, but he will have to act quickly. The new prime minister faces a cut-off on the start of the week to present the annual budget before the National Assembly.

Governing Obstacles and Budgetary Strains

The Élysée announced the president had assigned him to build a cabinet, and Macron's entourage implied he had been given complete freedom to proceed.

Lecornu, who is one of a trusted associate, then published a long statement on social media in which he agreed to take on as an obligation the mission assigned by the president, to strive to secure a national budget by the end of the year and respond to the everyday problems of our countrymen.

Partisan conflicts over how to reduce the country's public debt and reduce the fiscal shortfall have caused the fall of multiple premiers in the recent period, so his task is daunting.

France's public debt in the past months was nearly 114 percent of gross domestic product – the number three in the euro area – and current shortfall is projected to reach over five percent of GDP.

Lecornu said that everyone must contribute the imperative of repairing government accounts. With only 18 months before the completion of his mandate, he advised that prospective ministers would have to delay their presidential ambitions.

Leading Without Support

Adding to the difficulty for the prime minister is that he will face a vote of confidence in a parliament where the president has lacks sufficient support to back him. His public standing hit a record low this week, according to research that put his support level on 14%.

The far-right leader of the far-right National Rally, which was excluded of Macron's talks with political chiefs on the end of the week, remarked that the decision, by a president out of touch at the presidential palace, is a misstep.

The National Rally would immediately bring a motion of censure against a failing government, whose main motivation was fear of an election, he continued.

Forming Coalitions

Lecornu at least knows the pitfalls in his path as he tries to establish a cabinet, because he has already spent two days this week talking to factions that might participate in his administration.

On their own, the moderate factions cannot form a government, and there are disagreements within the right-leaning party who have helped prop up Macron's governments since he failed to secure enough seats in recent polls.

So Lecornu will look to left-wing parties for possible backing.

To gain leftist support, officials indicated the president was considering a delay to portions of his divisive social security adjustments passed in 2023 which increased the pension age from 62 up to 64.

The offer was inadequate of what left-wing leaders wanted, as they were hoping he would select a premier from the left. Olivier Faure of the leftist party said lacking commitments, they would withhold backing for the premier.

Fabien Roussel from the Communists stated following discussions that the left wanted real change, and a prime minister from the moderate faction would not be endorsed by the citizens.

Greens leader the Green figure said she was “stunned” Macron had provided few concessions to the left, adding that the situation would deteriorate.