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The French leader has requested Sébastien Lecornu to return as head of government just days after he left the post, triggering a week of political upheaval and instability.

Macron made the announcement towards the end of the week, shortly after meeting all the main parties collectively at the Élysée Palace, omitting the representatives of the political extremes.

The decision to reinstate him was unexpected, as he stated on television only two days ago 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 hit the ground running. He faces a cut-off on the start of the week to present the annual budget before lawmakers.

Leadership Hurdles and Budgetary Strains

The Élysée announced the president had “tasked [Lecornu] with forming a government”, and his advisors suggested he had been given “carte blanche” to make decisions.

The prime minister, who is one of a trusted associate, then issued a long statement on an online platform in which he consented to “out of duty” the mission assigned by the president, to strive to provide France with a budget by the end of the year and address the common issues of our fellow citizens.

Ideological disagreements over how to lower the country's public debt and reduce the fiscal shortfall have led to the ouster of two of the past three prime ministers in the recent period, so his mission is daunting.

The nation's debt recently was nearly 114 percent of economic output (GDP) – the third largest in the currency union – and the annual fiscal gap is projected to hit over five percent of GDP.

Lecornu stated that no one can avoid the necessity of restoring the nation's budget. Given the limited time before the end of Macron's presidency, he cautioned that those in the cabinet would have to put on hold their aspirations for higher office.

Governing Without a Majority

Adding to the difficulty for Lecornu is that he will face a show of support in a parliament where the president has no majority to endorse his government. Macron's approval hit a record low in the latest survey, according to an Elabe poll that put his approval rating on just 14%.

The far-right leader of the right-wing group, which was left out of the president's discussions with faction heads on Friday, said that Lecornu's reappointment, by a president “more than ever isolated and disconnected” at the official residence, is a “bad joke”.

The National Rally would immediately bring a motion of censure against a struggling administration, whose only reason for being was dreading polls, he continued.

Forming Coalitions

The prime minister at least knows the pitfalls ahead as he tries to establish a cabinet, because he has already devoted 48 hours lately meeting with factions that might join his government.

Alone, the moderate factions lack a majority, and there are disagreements within the traditionalists who have supported Macron's governments since he lost his majority in the previous vote.

So he will seek socialist factions for potential support.

In an attempt to court the left, the president's advisors indicated the president was considering a delay to some aspects of his highly contentious social security adjustments enacted last year which raised the retirement age from 62 up to 64.

The offer was inadequate of what progressive chiefs hoped for, as they were anticipating he would choose a leader from their side. Olivier Faure of the leftist party said without assurances, they would offer no support in a vote of confidence.

The Communist figure from the left-wing party commented post-consultation that the progressive camp wanted genuine reform, and a leader from the president's centrist camp would not be endorsed by the citizens.

Environmental party head the Green figure expressed shock Macron had given minimal offers to the left, adding that the situation would deteriorate.