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President Emmanuel Macron has requested Sébastien Lecornu to return as head of government just days after he stepped down, causing a period of high drama and instability.

The president stated late on Friday, hours after consulting with key political groups in one place at the official residence, omitting the leaders of the political extremes.

His reappointment came as a surprise, as he declared on broadcast just 48 hours prior that he was not “chasing the job” and his role had concluded.

It is not even certain whether he will be able to assemble a cabinet, but he will have to start immediately. Lecornu faces a cut-off on the start of the week to submit financial plans before lawmakers.

Political Challenges and Budgetary Strains

The Élysée announced the president had “tasked [Lecornu] with forming a government”, and those close to the president implied he had been given complete freedom to proceed.

The prime minister, who is one of the president's key supporters, then published a comprehensive announcement on social media in which he accepted as an obligation the task entrusted to me by the president, to make every effort to provide France with a budget by the year's conclusion and address the common issues of our fellow citizens.

Political divisions over how to bring down the country's public debt and cut the budget deficit have caused the ouster of two of the past three prime ministers in the past twelve months, so his task is immense.

The nation's debt earlier this year was almost 114% of gross domestic product – the number three in the currency union – and the annual fiscal gap is projected to reach over five percent of the economy.

The premier said that “no-one will be able to shirk” the imperative of fixing government accounts. In just a year and a half before the completion of his mandate, he cautioned that those in the cabinet would have to put on hold their political goals.

Governing Without a Majority

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 lacks sufficient support to support him. The president's popularity reached its lowest point this week, according to an Elabe poll that put his support level on just 14%.

Jordan Bardella of the National Rally party, which was excluded of consultations with political chiefs on Friday, commented that the prime minister's return, by a president increasingly isolated at the presidential palace, is a misstep.

They would quickly propose a motion of censure against a failing government, whose main motivation was fear of an election, Bardella added.

Seeking Support

Lecornu at least is aware of the challenges he faces as he tries to establish a cabinet, because he has already used time this week talking to political groups that might support him.

By themselves, the moderate factions lack a majority, and there are divisions within the traditionalists who have assisted Macron's governments since he lacked support in the previous vote.

So he will look to progressive groups for future alliances.

To gain leftist support, the president's advisors indicated the president was evaluating a pause to portions of his highly contentious retirement changes passed in 2023 which extended working life from 62 to 64.

It was insufficient of what progressive chiefs desired, as they were anticipating he would select a leader from their side. Olivier Faure of the leftist party commented without assurances, they would offer no support for the premier.

Fabien Roussel from the left-wing party commented post-consultation that the progressive camp wanted substantive shifts, and a leader from the president's centrist camp would not be endorsed by the public.

Environmental party head Marine Tondelier expressed shock Macron had provided few concessions to the left, adding that outcomes would be negative.