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President Emmanuel Macron has requested his former prime minister to resume duties as head of government a mere four days after he stepped down, causing a stretch of intense uncertainty and crisis.

The president declared towards the end of the week, following meeting all the main parties in one place at the presidential palace, excluding the representatives of the extremist parties.

His reappointment was unexpected, as he said on television only two days ago that he was not “chasing the job” and his task was complete.

Doubts remain whether he will be able to form a government, but he will have to act quickly. Lecornu faces a deadline on Monday to put next year's budget before lawmakers.

Leadership Hurdles and Economic Pressures

The presidency announced the president had given him the duty of creating a administration, and those close to the president suggested he had been given full authority to act.

The prime minister, who is one of a trusted associate, then released a comprehensive announcement on social media in which he accepted “out of duty” the assignment given to him by the president, to make every effort to finalize financial plans by the December and address the everyday problems of our compatriots.

Partisan conflicts over how to reduce the country's public debt and reduce the fiscal shortfall have caused the fall of several leaders in the past twelve months, so his task is enormous.

France's public debt in the past months was nearly 114 percent of economic output (GDP) – the third highest in the currency union – and the annual fiscal gap is estimated to reach over five percent of the economy.

The premier stated that everyone must contribute the imperative of repairing the nation's budget. Given the limited time before the conclusion of his term, he advised that prospective ministers would have to delay their aspirations for higher office.

Ruling Amid Division

Compounding the challenge for the prime minister is that he will face a parliamentary test in a legislative body where Macron has is short of votes to back him. His public standing hit a record low recently, according to research that put his approval rating on 14%.

The far-right leader of the National Rally party, which was left out of Macron's talks with political chiefs on the end of the week, commented that the prime minister's return, by a president “more than ever isolated and disconnected” at the Élysée, is a “bad joke”.

His party would quickly propose a vote of no confidence against a failing government, whose only reason for being was avoiding a vote, he continued.

Seeking Support

The prime minister at least knows the pitfalls in his path as he tries to form a government, because he has already used time recently talking to parties that might support him.

On their own, the centrist parties cannot form a government, and there are splits within the right-leaning party who have helped prop up the administration since he lost his majority in the previous vote.

So he will consider progressive groups for possible backing.

As a gesture to progressives, officials indicated the president was thinking of postponing to portions of his controversial pension reforms implemented recently which raised the retirement age from 62 to 64.

That fell short of what left-wing leaders wanted, as they were hoping he would appoint a leader from the left. Olivier Faure of the Socialists commented “since we've not been given any guarantees, we won't give any guarantee” in a vote of confidence.

Fabien Roussel from the Communists stated following discussions that the progressive camp wanted substantive shifts, and a leader from the president's centrist camp would not be supported by the public.

Greens leader Marine Tondelier remarked she was surprised Macron had offered the left almost nothing to the progressives, adding that “all of this is going to turn out very badly”.