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President Emmanuel Macron has requested Sébastien Lecornu to resume duties as French prime minister a mere four days after he resigned, sparking a week of intense uncertainty and political turmoil.

Macron stated on Friday evening, shortly after gathering leading factions in one place at the presidential palace, excluding the leaders of the far right and far left.

His reappointment shocked many, as he stated on broadcast recently that he was not “chasing the job” and his task was complete.

Doubts remain whether he will be able to form a government, but he will have to start immediately. Lecornu faces a time limit on the start of the week to present the annual budget before the National Assembly.

Governing Obstacles and Fiscal Demands

Officials said the president had “tasked [Lecornu] with forming a government”, and those close to the president suggested he had been given complete freedom to make decisions.

Lecornu, who is one of Macron's closest allies, then issued a comprehensive announcement on an online platform in which he agreed to take on responsibly the mission assigned by the president, to make every effort to secure a national budget by the end of the year and respond to the everyday problems of our compatriots.

Ideological disagreements over how to lower the country's public debt and balance the books have caused the fall of two of the past three prime ministers in the last year, so his challenge is immense.

France's public debt in the past months was nearly 114 percent of national income – the number three in the euro area – and the annual fiscal gap is projected to reach 5.4% of GDP.

The premier emphasized that “no-one will be able to shirk” the need of restoring the nation's budget. With only 18 months before the completion of his mandate, he cautioned that anyone joining his government would have to set aside their aspirations for higher office.

Ruling Amid Division

Compounding the challenge for the prime minister is that he will face a vote of confidence in a legislative body where Macron has is short of votes to support him. His public standing reached its lowest point in the latest survey, according to an Elabe poll that put his public backing on 14 percent.

The far-right leader of the far-right National Rally, which was not invited of Macron's talks with party leaders on Friday, said that Lecornu's reappointment, by a president “more than ever isolated and disconnected” at the presidential palace, is a “bad joke”.

His party would immediately bring a vote of no confidence against a failing government, whose main motivation was dreading polls, he continued.

Forming Coalitions

The prime minister at least is aware of the challenges in his path as he tries to establish a cabinet, because he has already devoted 48 hours lately talking to parties that might support him.

Alone, the moderate factions cannot form a government, and there are splits within the right-leaning party who have helped prop up Macron's governments since he lacked support in the previous vote.

So he will consider left-wing parties for future alliances.

To gain leftist support, officials suggested the president was evaluating a pause to part of his controversial social security adjustments passed in 2023 which extended working life from 62 to 64.

It was insufficient of what progressive chiefs desired, as they were expecting he would appoint a premier from the left. The Socialist leader of the Socialists 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 said after meeting the president that the left wanted genuine reform, and a premier from the president's centrist camp would not be accepted by the public.

Environmental party head Marine Tondelier remarked she was surprised Macron had given minimal offers to the progressives, adding that the situation would deteriorate.