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President Emmanuel Macron has asked Sébastien Lecornu to come back as French prime minister only four days after he left the post, causing a period of intense uncertainty and crisis.

The president declared towards the end of the week, shortly after consulting with all the main parties together at the official residence, except for the representatives of the far right and far left.

His reappointment was unexpected, as he declared on television only two days ago that he was not “chasing the job” and his “mission is over”.

Doubts remain whether he will be able to establish a ruling coalition, but he will have to hit the ground running. He faces a time limit on Monday to put next year's budget before parliament.

Leadership Hurdles and Fiscal Demands

The presidency announced the president had given him the duty of creating a administration, and those close to the president indicated he had been given complete freedom to act.

Lecornu, who is one of the president's key supporters, then issued a long statement on an online platform in which he agreed to take on as an obligation the task entrusted to me by the president, to do everything to provide France with a budget by the year's conclusion and address the everyday problems of our compatriots.

Ideological disagreements over how to lower France's national debt and reduce the fiscal shortfall have led to the fall of several leaders in the last year, so his challenge is enormous.

Government liabilities recently was almost 114% of economic output (GDP) – the third largest in the currency union – and this year's budget deficit is estimated to reach over five percent of GDP.

The premier said that no one can avoid the imperative of fixing France's public finances. With only 18 months before the completion of his mandate, he advised that prospective ministers would have to delay their presidential ambitions.

Ruling Amid Division

Compounding the challenge for Lecornu is that he will face a vote of confidence in a legislative body where Macron has is short of votes to endorse his government. Macron's approval hit a record low in the latest survey, according to an Elabe poll that put his public backing on 14%.

The far-right leader of the right-wing group, which was excluded 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 poor decision.

They would promptly introduce a motion of censure against a doomed coalition, whose only reason for being was dreading polls, the leader stated.

Forming Coalitions

The prime minister at least knows the pitfalls he faces as he tries to build a coalition, because he has already used time recently talking to parties that might participate in his administration.

Alone, the central groups are insufficient, and there are disagreements within the traditionalists who have helped prop up the ruling coalition since he lost his majority in recent polls.

So Lecornu will look to socialist factions for potential support.

To gain leftist support, officials hinted the president was thinking of postponing to some aspects of his controversial pension reforms implemented recently which increased the pension age from the early sixties.

It was insufficient of what left-wing leaders hoped for, as they were hoping he would select a prime minister from their camp. Olivier Faure of the leftist party stated without assurances, they would offer no support for the premier.

Fabien Roussel from the Communists commented post-consultation that the left wanted genuine reform, and a leader from the central bloc would not be supported by the citizens.

Environmental party head Marine Tondelier said she was “stunned” Macron had given minimal offers to the left, adding that outcomes would be negative.