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The French leader has called upon his former prime minister to resume duties as French prime minister a mere four days after he left the post, sparking a period of intense uncertainty and instability.

The president made the announcement on Friday evening, shortly after meeting key political groups collectively at the official residence, excluding the figures of the far right and far left.

Lecornu's return was unexpected, as he said on broadcast recently that he was not interested in returning and his role had concluded.

Doubts remain whether he will be able to assemble a cabinet, but he will have to start immediately. He faces a time limit on the start of the week to submit financial plans before the National Assembly.

Leadership Hurdles and Fiscal Demands

Officials said the president had assigned him to build a cabinet, and those close to the president suggested he had been given full authority to act.

Lecornu, who is one of the president's key supporters, then published a comprehensive announcement on an online platform in which he consented to responsibly the mission entrusted to me by the president, to strive to secure a national budget by the year's conclusion and respond to the daily concerns of our countrymen.

Ideological disagreements over how to lower government borrowing and cut the budget deficit have resulted in the resignation of two of the past three prime ministers in the last year, so his task is enormous.

France's public debt recently was close to 114% of national income – the third highest in the currency union – and this year's budget deficit is estimated to amount to over five percent of the economy.

Lecornu stated that no one can avoid the need of repairing France's public finances. With only 18 months before the completion of his mandate, he cautioned that anyone joining his government would have to set aside their aspirations for higher office.

Leading Without Support

Compounding the challenge for the prime minister is that he will face a show of support in a parliament where the president has lacks sufficient support to support him. Macron's approval plummeted in the latest survey, according to research that put his approval rating on 14 percent.

Jordan Bardella of the National Rally party, which was left out of the president's discussions with party leaders on the end of the week, commented that the prime minister's return, by a president increasingly isolated at the Élysée, is a misstep.

They would quickly propose a motion of censure against a struggling administration, whose only reason for being was fear of an election, Bardella added.

Building Alliances

The prime minister at least understands the obstacles in his path as he tries to form a government, because he has already devoted 48 hours lately talking to parties that might participate in his administration.

On their own, the centrist parties lack a majority, and there are divisions within the conservative Republicans who have helped prop up the administration since he lacked support in the previous vote.

So he will look to left-wing parties for potential support.

To gain leftist support, the president's advisors hinted the president was considering a delay to some aspects of his highly contentious pension reforms implemented recently which increased the pension age from 62 up to 64.

It was insufficient of what socialist figures wanted, as they were expecting he would choose a leader from the left. The Socialist leader of the Socialists stated “since we've not been given any guarantees, we won't give any guarantee” to back the prime minister.

The Communist figure from the left-wing party commented post-consultation that the left wanted substantive shifts, and a prime minister from the moderate faction would not be supported by the citizens.

Greens leader Marine Tondelier expressed shock Macron had provided few concessions to the left, adding that outcomes would be negative.