🔗 Share this article

President Emmanuel Macron has asked his former prime minister to return as French prime minister only four days after he left the post, triggering a week of intense uncertainty and political turmoil.

The president declared late on Friday, following meeting leading factions in one place at the Élysée Palace, excluding the representatives of the political extremes.

Lecornu's return was unexpected, as he said on television just 48 hours prior that he was not seeking the position and his task was complete.

Doubts remain whether he will be able to assemble a cabinet, but he will have to act quickly. Lecornu faces a cut-off on the start of the week to put next year's budget before lawmakers.

Governing Obstacles and Budgetary Strains

The presidency confirmed the president had given him the duty of creating a administration, and his advisors implied he had been given full authority to proceed.

Lecornu, who is one of the president's key supporters, then issued a long statement on an online platform in which he agreed to take on “out of duty” the mission entrusted to me by the president, to do everything to finalize financial plans by the end of the year and respond to the daily concerns of our countrymen.

Political divisions over how to bring down the country's public debt and reduce the fiscal shortfall have resulted in the resignation of two of the past three prime ministers in the recent period, so his task is daunting.

The nation's debt earlier this year was close to 114% of national income – the number three in the eurozone – and this year's budget deficit is projected to reach over five percent of economic output.

The premier said that everyone must contribute the necessity of restoring 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 aspirations for higher office.

Governing Without a Majority

What makes it even harder for Lecornu is that he will face a show of support in a legislative body where Macron has no majority to support him. His public standing plummeted in the latest survey, according to a survey that put his support level on 14%.

The far-right leader of the National Rally party, which was not invited of the president's discussions with faction heads on the end of the week, said that the prime minister's return, by a president increasingly isolated at the presidential palace, is a poor decision.

They would quickly propose a challenge against a failing government, whose main motivation was avoiding a vote, he continued.

Seeking Support

Lecornu at least understands the obstacles in his path as he tries to form a government, because he has already spent two days recently talking to parties that might join his government.

Alone, the centrist parties cannot form a government, and there are splits within the right-leaning party who have helped prop up the administration since he lacked support in the previous vote.

So Lecornu will seek progressive groups for potential support.

In an attempt to court the left, Macron's team suggested the president was evaluating a pause to some aspects of his highly contentious social security adjustments passed in 2023 which increased the pension age from 62 up to 64.

It was insufficient of what socialist figures desired, as they were hoping he would appoint a prime minister from the left. The Socialist leader of the Socialists said lacking commitments, they would withhold backing to back the prime minister.

The Communist figure from the Communists said after meeting the president that the progressive camp wanted substantive shifts, and a prime minister from the central bloc would not be supported by the French people.

Environmental party head Marine Tondelier said she was “stunned” Macron had provided few concessions to the left, adding that “all of this is going to turn out very badly”.