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The French leader has asked Sébastien Lecornu to come back as French prime minister just days after he left the post, causing a week of high drama and crisis.

Macron declared late on Friday, shortly after meeting all the main parties collectively at the presidential palace, omitting the leaders of the political extremes.

The decision to reinstate him came as a surprise, as he stated on broadcast only two days ago that he was not interested in returning and his task was complete.

There is uncertainty 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 the start of the week to present the annual budget before lawmakers.

Governing Obstacles and Fiscal Demands

The Élysée said the president had “tasked [Lecornu] with forming a government”, and Macron's entourage indicated he had been given complete freedom to proceed.

Lecornu, who is one of the president's key supporters, then released a comprehensive announcement on social media in which he consented to “out of duty” the task assigned by the president, to strive to secure a national budget by the December and address the common issues of our compatriots.

Ideological disagreements over how to reduce the country's public debt and cut the budget deficit have resulted in the ouster of multiple premiers in the past twelve months, so his challenge is daunting.

Government liabilities recently was nearly 114 percent of national income – the number three in the currency union – and the annual fiscal gap is expected to reach 5.4% of economic output.

The premier emphasized that no one can avoid the need of fixing government accounts. In just a year and a half before the end of Macron's presidency, he cautioned that anyone joining his government would have to set aside their political goals.

Governing Without a Majority

Compounding the challenge for Lecornu is that he will face a show of support in a legislative body where the president has is short of votes to back him. Macron's approval hit a record low recently, according to a survey that put his support level on just 14%.

The far-right leader of the right-wing group, which was excluded of the president's discussions with faction heads on the end of the week, said that the prime minister's return, by a president “more than ever isolated and disconnected” at the presidential palace, is a misstep.

The National Rally would immediately bring a vote of no confidence against a doomed coalition, whose main motivation was avoiding a vote, he continued.

Forming Coalitions

Lecornu at least is aware of the challenges ahead as he tries to form a government, because he has already used time lately meeting with factions that might join his government.

Alone, the central groups cannot form a government, and there are divisions within the traditionalists who have assisted Macron's governments since he failed to secure enough seats in elections last year.

So Lecornu will seek progressive groups for potential support.

In an attempt to court the left, Macron's team hinted the president was considering a delay to portions of his controversial social security adjustments enacted last year which extended working life from 62 to 64.

That fell short of what socialist figures hoped for, as they were hoping he would appoint a prime minister from the left. Olivier Faure of the leftist party said without assurances, they would offer no support for the premier.

The Communist figure from the left-wing party said after meeting the president that the left wanted genuine reform, and a premier from the president's centrist camp would not be accepted by the French people.

Greens leader Marine Tondelier expressed shock the president had offered the left almost nothing to the progressives, adding that outcomes would be negative.