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President Emmanuel Macron has requested Sébastien Lecornu to come back as French prime minister just days after he stepped down, causing a period of intense uncertainty and political turmoil.

The president stated late on Friday, shortly after gathering key political groups in one place at the presidential palace, except for the representatives of the far right and far left.

His reappointment was unexpected, as he said on national TV only two days ago that he was not seeking the position and his role had concluded.

There is uncertainty whether he will be able to assemble a cabinet, but he will have to act quickly. He faces a deadline on Monday to present the annual budget before the National Assembly.

Political Challenges and Fiscal Demands

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

The prime minister, who is one of a trusted associate, then issued 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 secure a national budget by the year's conclusion and respond to the daily concerns of our compatriots.

Ideological disagreements over how to bring down the country's public debt and reduce the fiscal shortfall have caused the fall of several leaders in the last year, so his challenge is daunting.

France's public debt in the past months was nearly 114 percent of gross domestic product – the number three in the currency union – and current shortfall is projected to hit over five percent of the economy.

Lecornu said that everyone must contribute the imperative of repairing the nation's budget. Given the limited time before the end of Macron's presidency, he warned that anyone joining his government would have to put on hold their presidential ambitions.

Ruling Amid Division

Compounding the challenge for the prime minister is that he will face a vote of confidence in a National Assembly where the president has is short of votes to back him. Macron's approval plummeted recently, according to research that put his support level on 14 percent.

The far-right leader of the right-wing group, which was excluded of consultations with faction heads on the end of the week, said that the decision, by a president increasingly isolated at the official residence, is a poor decision.

His party would immediately bring a motion of censure against a failing government, whose only reason for being was avoiding a vote, he continued.

Building Alliances

The prime minister at least understands the obstacles ahead as he tries to form a government, because he has already spent two days this week consulting factions that might join his government.

By themselves, the moderate factions are insufficient, and there are divisions within the right-leaning party who have assisted the ruling coalition since he failed to secure enough seats in recent polls.

So Lecornu will look to socialist factions for future alliances.

In an attempt to court the left, officials hinted the president was evaluating a pause to portions of his controversial pension reforms implemented recently which increased the pension age from 62 up to 64.

It was insufficient of what left-wing leaders wanted, as they were hoping he would appoint a prime minister from their side. The Socialist leader of the Socialists commented without assurances, they would offer no support in a vote of confidence.

The Communist figure from the Communists stated following discussions that the progressive camp wanted genuine reform, and a premier from the central bloc would not be accepted by the French people.

Greens leader Marine Tondelier said she was “stunned” the president had offered the left almost nothing to the progressives, adding that the situation would deteriorate.