🔗 Share this article

President Emmanuel Macron has requested his former prime minister to resume duties as head of government just days after he left the post, triggering a stretch of intense uncertainty and crisis.

The president declared late on Friday, shortly after gathering all the main parties in one place at the presidential palace, except for the representatives of the extremist parties.

The decision to reinstate him shocked many, as he said on television only two days ago that he was not “chasing the job” and his role had concluded.

Doubts remain whether he will be able to assemble a cabinet, but he will have to start immediately. The new prime minister faces a time limit on the start of the week to present the annual budget before lawmakers.

Political Challenges and Budgetary Strains

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

Lecornu, who is one of Macron's closest allies, then issued a long statement on X in which he agreed to take on responsibly the task entrusted to me by the president, to strive to provide France with a budget by the December and address the everyday problems of our countrymen.

Political divisions over how to bring down France's national debt and balance the books have resulted in the fall of multiple premiers in the past twelve months, so his challenge is immense.

France's public debt earlier this year was nearly 114 percent of economic output (GDP) – the number three in the eurozone – and current shortfall is estimated to amount to 5.4 percent of GDP.

The premier stated that “no-one will be able to shirk” the necessity of restoring government accounts. In just a year and a half before the conclusion of his term, he warned that prospective ministers would have to set aside their presidential ambitions.

Leading Without Support

What makes it even harder for the prime minister is that he will face a vote of confidence in a legislative body where Macron has no majority to endorse his government. Macron's approval reached its lowest point this week, according to a survey that put his support level on 14%.

The far-right leader of the right-wing group, which was left out of the president's discussions with political chiefs on the end of the week, remarked that the prime minister's return, by a president “more than ever isolated and disconnected” at the official residence, is a “bad joke”.

They would quickly propose a vote of no confidence against a failing government, whose only reason for being was dreading polls, Bardella added.

Building Alliances

The prime minister at least is aware of the challenges ahead as he tries to build a coalition, because he has already spent two days this week meeting with factions that might participate in his administration.

On their own, the moderate factions are insufficient, and there are splits within the right-leaning party who have assisted the ruling coalition since he lost his majority in recent polls.

So Lecornu will consider progressive groups for potential support.

As a gesture to progressives, Macron's team suggested the president was evaluating a pause to portions of his divisive social security adjustments enacted last year which increased the pension age from the early sixties.

The offer was inadequate of what left-wing leaders hoped for, as they were hoping he would select a leader from the left. The Socialist leader of the leftist party stated “since we've not been given any guarantees, we won't give any guarantee” for the premier.

Fabien Roussel from the left-wing party stated following discussions that the left wanted real change, and a leader from the president's centrist camp would not be endorsed by the public.

Environmental party head Marine Tondelier expressed shock the president had provided few concessions to the progressives, adding that “all of this is going to turn out very badly”.