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The French leader has requested Sébastien Lecornu to return as head of government only four days after he left the post, triggering a week of high drama and instability.

Macron declared late on Friday, following meeting leading factions in one place at the Élysée Palace, omitting the representatives of the political extremes.

Lecornu's return shocked many, as he declared on broadcast recently that he was not “chasing the job” and his task was complete.

There is uncertainty whether he will be able to establish a ruling coalition, but he will have to hit the ground running. Lecornu faces a deadline on Monday to put next year's budget before lawmakers.

Governing Obstacles and Economic Pressures

The Élysée said the president had assigned him to build a cabinet, and his advisors implied he had been given complete freedom to proceed.

Lecornu, who is one of a trusted associate, then released a long statement on social media in which he consented to as an obligation the assignment entrusted to me by the president, to do everything to provide France with a budget by the end of the year and respond to the daily concerns of our fellow citizens.

Ideological disagreements over how to bring down France's national debt and balance the books have caused the ouster of multiple premiers in the recent period, so his task is enormous.

The nation's debt recently was close to 114% of economic output (GDP) – the third largest in the euro area – and this year's budget deficit is expected to amount to 5.4 percent of economic output.

The premier emphasized that everyone must contribute the necessity of fixing government accounts. With only 18 months before the end of Macron's presidency, he cautioned that anyone joining his government would have to delay their aspirations for higher office.

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 Macron has lacks sufficient support to back him. Macron's approval hit a record low this week, according to an Elabe poll that put his public backing on 14%.

Jordan Bardella of the National Rally party, which was excluded of the president's discussions with faction heads on Friday, commented that the prime minister's return, by a president increasingly isolated at the presidential palace, is a “bad joke”.

His party would immediately bring a vote of no confidence against a doomed coalition, whose sole purpose was fear of an election, Bardella added.

Building Alliances

The prime minister at least is aware of the challenges he faces as he tries to establish a cabinet, because he has already used time recently consulting factions that might support him.

Alone, the centrist parties cannot form a government, and there are disagreements within the conservative Republicans who have supported the ruling coalition since he lacked support in the previous vote.

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

In an attempt to court the left, Macron's team hinted the president was evaluating a pause to portions of his divisive retirement changes enacted last year which raised the retirement age from 62 to 64.

That fell short of what progressive chiefs wanted, as they were anticipating he would choose a prime minister from their camp. Olivier Faure of the Socialists stated lacking commitments, they would withhold backing for the premier.

The Communist figure from the left-wing party stated following discussions that the left wanted substantive shifts, and a prime minister from the central bloc would not be supported by the citizens.

Greens leader the Green figure said she was “stunned” the president had provided few concessions to the progressives, adding that outcomes would be negative.