President Emmanuel Macron has asked his former prime minister to resume duties as head of government just days after he stepped down, triggering a stretch of intense uncertainty and instability.
Macron made the announcement towards the end of the week, following meeting all the main parties together at the Élysée Palace, omitting the representatives of the political extremes.
The decision to reinstate him shocked many, as he declared on national TV recently that he was not seeking the position and his “mission is over”.
There is uncertainty whether he will be able to establish a ruling coalition, but he will have to start immediately. He faces a cut-off on the start of the week to put next year's budget before lawmakers.
The Élysée confirmed the president had given him the duty of creating a administration, and Macron's entourage suggested he had been given complete freedom to act.
Lecornu, who is one of Macron's closest allies, then issued a comprehensive announcement on an online platform in which he agreed to take on responsibly the mission entrusted to me by the president, to make every effort to provide France with a budget by the year's conclusion and respond to the common issues of our compatriots.
Political divisions over how to bring down the country's public debt and balance the books have led to the resignation of multiple premiers in the recent period, so his challenge is enormous.
France's public debt earlier this year was almost 114% of economic output (GDP) – the number three in the euro area – and this year's budget deficit is expected to hit 5.4% of economic output.
The premier stated that “no-one will be able to shirk” the necessity of restoring government accounts. Given the limited time before the end of Macron's presidency, he warned that anyone joining his government would have to set aside their presidential ambitions.
Compounding the challenge for the prime minister is that he will face a parliamentary test in a parliament where the president has lacks sufficient support to back him. The president's popularity hit a record low recently, according to research that put his support level on 14%.
The far-right leader of the far-right National Rally, which was left out of the president's discussions with faction heads on Friday, remarked that Lecornu's reappointment, by a president increasingly isolated at the Élysée, is a poor decision.
The National Rally would immediately bring a motion of censure against a doomed coalition, whose only reason for being was fear of an election, Bardella added.
The prime minister at least understands the obstacles ahead as he tries to form a government, because he has already used time this week consulting parties that might participate in his administration.
On their own, the moderate factions lack a majority, and there are disagreements within the traditionalists who have supported Macron's governments since he lost his majority in the previous vote.
So he will seek progressive groups for potential support.
As a gesture to progressives, Macron's team hinted the president was evaluating a pause to part of his controversial social security adjustments implemented recently which extended working life from 62 to 64.
It was insufficient of what left-wing leaders hoped for, as they were expecting he would choose a prime minister from their side. The Socialist leader of the leftist party said “since we've not been given any guarantees, we won't give any guarantee” to back the prime minister.
Fabien Roussel from the left-wing party commented post-consultation that the left wanted substantive shifts, and a leader from the president's centrist camp would not be supported by the public.
Greens leader the Green figure expressed shock the president had offered the left almost nothing to the left, adding that “all of this is going to turn out very badly”.
Travel enthusiast and local expert sharing insights on Sardinian accommodations and hidden gems.
