🔗 Share this article

President Emmanuel Macron has requested Sébastien Lecornu to return as the nation's premier a mere four days after he left the post, causing a stretch of political upheaval and crisis.

The president made the announcement towards the end of the week, shortly after meeting all the main parties collectively at the Élysée Palace, excluding the leaders of the extremist parties.

His reappointment was unexpected, as he said on television just 48 hours prior that he was not “chasing the job” and his task was complete.

There is uncertainty whether he will be able to establish a ruling coalition, but he will have to start immediately. The new prime minister faces a deadline on the start of the week to present the annual budget before lawmakers.

Leadership Hurdles and Fiscal Demands

The presidency confirmed the president had given him the duty of creating a administration, and his advisors suggested he had been given complete freedom to make decisions.

The prime minister, who is one of a trusted associate, then issued a detailed message on an online platform in which he accepted responsibly the mission given to him by the president, to strive to secure a national budget by the December and respond to the common issues of our countrymen.

Partisan conflicts over how to lower the country's public debt and cut the budget deficit have caused the ouster of two of the past three prime ministers in the recent period, so his task is enormous.

France's public debt recently was close to 114% of national income – the third largest in the currency union – and current shortfall is expected to hit 5.4 percent of the economy.

Lecornu stated that no one can avoid the necessity of fixing government accounts. Given the limited time before the conclusion of his term, he warned that anyone joining his government would have to put on hold their aspirations for higher office.

Ruling Amid Division

What makes it even harder for Lecornu is that he will face a vote of confidence in a National Assembly where Macron has is short of votes to back him. The president's popularity hit a record low this week, according to an Elabe poll that put his public backing on just 14%.

The far-right leader of the National Rally party, which was excluded of consultations with faction heads on Friday, remarked that the prime minister's return, by a president out of touch at the Élysée, is a poor decision.

They would quickly propose a challenge against a failing government, whose sole purpose was fear of an election, he continued.

Building Alliances

Lecornu at least understands the obstacles in his path as he tries to form a government, because he has already spent two days this week talking to political groups that might support him.

On their own, the moderate factions cannot form a government, and there are splits within the conservative Republicans who have helped prop up Macron's governments since he failed to secure enough seats in recent polls.

So he will seek progressive groups for potential support.

As a gesture to progressives, Macron's team suggested the president was evaluating a pause to some aspects of his controversial social security adjustments passed in 2023 which raised the retirement age from 62 up to 64.

That fell short of what left-wing leaders desired, as they were anticipating he would appoint a leader from the left. The Socialist leader of the Socialists commented without assurances, they would offer no support to back the prime minister.

The Communist figure from the left-wing party commented post-consultation that the left wanted real change, and a premier from the moderate faction would not be accepted by the French people.

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