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President Emmanuel Macron has asked Sébastien Lecornu to return as French prime minister just days after he left the post, triggering a week of high drama and crisis.

Macron stated late on Friday, following gathering key political groups in one place at the Élysée Palace, except for the figures of the far right and far left.

The decision to reinstate him came as a surprise, as he stated on television just 48 hours prior that he was not interested in returning and his task was complete.

It is not even certain whether he will be able to assemble a cabinet, but he will have to hit the ground running. Lecornu faces a deadline on the start of the week to present the annual budget before parliament.

Leadership Hurdles and Fiscal Demands

The presidency confirmed the president had given him the duty of creating a administration, and Macron's entourage implied he had been given “carte blanche” to act.

The prime minister, who is one of Macron's closest allies, then issued a comprehensive announcement on an online platform in which he accepted as an obligation the task given to him by the president, to do everything to finalize financial plans by the end of the year and address the everyday problems of our countrymen.

Partisan conflicts over how to bring down the country's public debt and cut the budget deficit have caused the resignation of multiple premiers in the recent period, so his mission is daunting.

Government liabilities recently was almost 114% of national income – the third largest in the euro area – and the annual fiscal gap is expected to hit over five percent of economic output.

Lecornu emphasized that no one can avoid the need of restoring government accounts. Given the limited time before the end of Macron's presidency, he warned that those in the cabinet would have to set aside their aspirations for higher office.

Leading Without Support

Adding to the difficulty for Lecornu is that he will face a parliamentary test in a legislative body where the president has no majority to support him. The president's popularity hit a record low in the latest survey, according to a survey that put his support level on just 14%.

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, said that the prime minister's return, by a president “more than ever isolated and disconnected” at the official residence, is a misstep.

They would immediately bring a motion of censure against a struggling administration, whose main motivation was fear of an election, he continued.

Forming Coalitions

The prime minister at least is aware of the challenges he faces as he tries to form a government, because he has already spent two days lately talking to factions that might join his government.

By themselves, the moderate factions are insufficient, and there are disagreements within the traditionalists who have assisted the ruling coalition since he lost his majority in elections last year.

So he will seek progressive groups for future alliances.

As a gesture to progressives, officials hinted the president was evaluating a pause to some aspects of his controversial pension reforms enacted last year which raised the retirement age from 62 up to 64.

The offer was inadequate of what left-wing leaders wanted, as they were hoping he would appoint a premier from their side. Olivier Faure of the Socialists said “since we've not been given any guarantees, we won't give any guarantee” for the premier.

Fabien Roussel from the Communists stated following discussions that the left wanted substantive shifts, and a leader from the central bloc would not be endorsed by the French people.

Greens leader the Green figure said she was “stunned” Macron had provided few concessions to the progressives, adding that “all of this is going to turn out very badly”.