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President Emmanuel Macron has asked his former prime minister to return as French prime minister just days after he resigned, sparking a week of intense uncertainty and instability.

The president declared towards the end of the week, hours after gathering leading factions in one place at the official residence, except for the figures of the political extremes.

Lecornu's return was unexpected, as he declared on national TV just 48 hours prior that he was not interested in returning and his role had concluded.

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

Political Challenges and Economic Pressures

The presidency announced the president had given him the duty of creating a administration, and his advisors suggested he had been given “carte blanche” to act.

Lecornu, who is one of the president's key supporters, then released a comprehensive announcement on an online platform in which he agreed to take on as an obligation the mission assigned by the president, to strive to provide France with a budget by the year's conclusion and respond to the common issues of our fellow citizens.

Ideological disagreements over how to bring down France's national debt and balance the books have caused the resignation of two of the past three prime ministers in the past twelve months, so his task is immense.

Government liabilities recently was almost 114% of gross domestic product – the third highest in the eurozone – and current shortfall is projected to hit 5.4% of economic output.

The premier said that “no-one will be able to shirk” the need of repairing the nation's budget. With only 18 months before the conclusion of his term, he advised that those in the cabinet would have to delay their aspirations for higher office.

Ruling Amid Division

What makes it even harder for the prime minister is that he will face a parliamentary test in a parliament where Macron has no majority to back him. The president's popularity plummeted in the latest survey, according to an Elabe poll that put his approval rating on just 14%.

Jordan Bardella of the far-right National Rally, which was not invited of Macron's talks with political chiefs on the end of the week, said that the prime minister's return, by a president out of touch at the presidential palace, is a poor decision.

The National Rally would immediately bring a vote of no confidence against a failing government, whose main motivation was dreading polls, the leader stated.

Seeking Support

The prime minister at least is aware of the challenges in his path as he tries to establish a cabinet, because he has already spent two days lately talking to political groups that might support him.

Alone, the centrist parties lack a majority, and there are disagreements within the traditionalists who have assisted the administration since he lacked support in the previous vote.

So he will consider progressive groups for future alliances.

To gain leftist support, officials indicated the president was thinking of postponing to some aspects of his highly contentious social security adjustments implemented recently which increased the pension age from 62 up to 64.

That fell short of what progressive chiefs desired, as they were anticipating he would select a leader from the left. Olivier Faure of the leftist party said “since we've not been given any guarantees, we won't give any guarantee” in a vote of confidence.

Fabien Roussel from the Communists commented post-consultation that the progressive camp wanted substantive shifts, and a leader from the president's centrist camp would not be accepted by the citizens.

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