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The French leader has asked his former prime minister to resume duties as the nation's premier only four days after he resigned, sparking a week of political upheaval and political turmoil.

The president stated towards the end of the week, shortly after meeting leading factions in one place at the presidential palace, except for the representatives of the extremist parties.

His reappointment was unexpected, as he declared on national TV just 48 hours prior that he was not “chasing the job” and his “mission is over”.

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 put next year's budget before the National Assembly.

Leadership Hurdles and Budgetary Strains

The presidency said the president had given him the duty of creating a administration, and Macron's entourage implied he had been given full authority to proceed.

The prime minister, who is one of the president's key supporters, then published a long statement on an online platform in which he consented to as an obligation the task given to him by the president, to strive to provide France with a budget by the year's conclusion and tackle the everyday problems of our countrymen.

Partisan conflicts over how to bring down the country's public debt and cut the budget deficit have resulted in the ouster of multiple premiers in the past twelve months, so his challenge is immense.

France's public debt earlier this year was close to 114% of gross domestic product – the third highest in the currency union – and current shortfall is expected to reach 5.4% of GDP.

Lecornu said that “no-one will be able to shirk” the necessity of restoring government accounts. With only 18 months before the end of Macron's presidency, he advised that anyone joining his government would have to delay their presidential ambitions.

Governing Without a Majority

Adding to the difficulty for the prime minister is that he will face a parliamentary test in a legislative body where Macron has lacks sufficient support to back him. The president's popularity plummeted recently, according to an Elabe poll that put his support level on 14%.

Jordan Bardella of the far-right National Rally, which was excluded of consultations with political chiefs on Friday, commented that the decision, by a president increasingly isolated at the Élysée, is a misstep.

His party would promptly introduce a motion of censure against a struggling administration, whose main motivation was fear of an election, Bardella added.

Seeking Support

Lecornu at least is aware of the challenges ahead as he tries to form a government, because he has already devoted 48 hours lately talking to parties that might participate in his administration.

By themselves, the moderate factions are insufficient, and there are splits within the conservative Republicans who have supported the administration since he failed to secure enough seats in recent polls.

So he will look to socialist factions for possible backing.

As a gesture to progressives, the president's advisors indicated the president was thinking of postponing to part of his highly contentious retirement changes implemented recently which extended working life from 62 to 64.

The offer was inadequate of what left-wing leaders hoped for, as they were expecting he would select a leader from their side. The Socialist leader of the Socialists commented without assurances, they would offer no support to back the prime minister.

Fabien Roussel from the Communists commented post-consultation that the left wanted real change, and a leader from the moderate faction would not be supported by the French people.

Environmental party head Marine Tondelier said she was “stunned” the president had offered the left almost nothing to the progressives, adding that outcomes would be negative.