🔗 Share this article

President Emmanuel Macron has requested his former prime minister to return as head of government a mere four days after he left the post, triggering a week of high drama and instability.

Macron declared towards the end of the week, following consulting with leading factions collectively at the presidential palace, except for the representatives of the extremist parties.

The decision to reinstate him came as a surprise, as he said on broadcast recently that he was not seeking the position and his role had concluded.

There is uncertainty whether he will be able to establish a ruling coalition, but he will have to hit the ground running. He faces a time limit on Monday to put next year's budget before the National Assembly.

Governing Obstacles and Economic Pressures

Officials confirmed the president had assigned him to build a cabinet, and Macron's entourage indicated he had been given complete freedom to make decisions.

Lecornu, who is one of the president's key supporters, then published a detailed message on X in which he accepted as an obligation the assignment assigned by the president, to strive to finalize financial plans by the year's conclusion and tackle the common issues of our compatriots.

Ideological disagreements over how to lower France's national debt and cut the budget deficit have resulted in the resignation of two of the past three prime ministers in the past twelve months, so his task is daunting.

Government liabilities earlier this year was close to 114% of economic output (GDP) – the third highest in the euro area – and the annual fiscal gap is estimated to hit 5.4% of economic output.

The premier emphasized that no one can avoid the imperative of fixing government accounts. With only 18 months before the completion of his mandate, he advised that anyone joining his government would have to set aside their political goals.

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 no majority to support him. Macron's approval hit a record low in the latest survey, according to research that put his support level on just 14%.

Jordan Bardella of the right-wing group, which was left out of Macron's talks with faction heads on the end of the week, said that the decision, by a president “more than ever isolated and disconnected” at the presidential palace, is a “bad joke”.

His party would promptly introduce a vote of no confidence against a failing government, whose sole purpose was dreading polls, Bardella added.

Forming Coalitions

The prime minister at least is aware of the challenges he faces as he tries to establish a cabinet, because he has already used time lately talking to parties that might support him.

Alone, the centrist parties lack a majority, and there are splits within the right-leaning party who have helped prop up Macron's governments since he lost his majority in elections last year.

So he will look to progressive groups for future alliances.

As a gesture to progressives, officials hinted the president was evaluating a pause to portions of his highly contentious pension reforms passed in 2023 which extended working life 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 the left. The Socialist leader of the leftist party said lacking commitments, they would withhold backing for the premier.

The Communist figure from the left-wing party stated following discussions that the progressive camp wanted real change, and a prime minister from the central bloc would not be accepted by the citizens.

Environmental party head the Green figure remarked she was surprised the president had offered the left almost nothing to the progressives, adding that outcomes would be negative.