The French leader has asked his former prime minister to return as the nation's premier just days after he stepped down, sparking a week of high drama and political turmoil.
Macron declared on Friday evening, shortly after meeting all the main parties collectively at the Élysée Palace, omitting the leaders of the far right and far left.
The decision to reinstate him shocked many, as he declared on broadcast just 48 hours prior that he was not “chasing the job” and his role had concluded.
It is not even certain whether he will be able to form a government, but he will have to act quickly. He faces a deadline on Monday to put next year's budget before the National Assembly.
The Élysée announced the president had assigned him to build a cabinet, and Macron's entourage suggested he had been given “carte blanche” to make decisions.
Lecornu, who is one of Macron's closest allies, then published a comprehensive announcement on X in which he accepted as an obligation the assignment assigned by the president, to strive to provide France with a budget by the year's conclusion and tackle the everyday problems of our fellow citizens.
Political divisions over how to lower France's national debt and balance the books have led to the ouster of multiple premiers in the recent period, so his task is enormous.
Government liabilities recently was almost 114% of gross domestic product – the number three in the euro area – and the annual fiscal gap is projected to hit 5.4 percent of the economy.
The premier said that “no-one will be able to shirk” the necessity of restoring France's public finances. With only 18 months before the conclusion of his term, he warned that anyone joining his government would have to put on hold their political goals.
Adding to the difficulty for the prime minister is that he will face a parliamentary test in a parliament where Macron has lacks sufficient support to back him. His public standing hit a record low in the latest survey, according to a survey that put his support level on 14 percent.
Jordan Bardella of the right-wing group, which was excluded of consultations with political chiefs on the end of the week, commented that Lecornu's reappointment, by a president out of touch at the Élysée, is a misstep.
The National Rally would quickly propose a motion of censure against a doomed coalition, whose sole purpose was dreading polls, he continued.
The prime minister at least understands the obstacles ahead as he tries to form a government, because he has already spent two days recently consulting parties that might support him.
Alone, the moderate factions cannot form a government, and there are divisions within the right-leaning party who have helped prop up Macron's governments since he failed to secure enough seats in elections last year.
So Lecornu will seek left-wing parties for potential support.
As a gesture to progressives, Macron's team indicated the president was evaluating a pause to some aspects of his controversial retirement changes passed in 2023 which raised the retirement age from 62 to 64.
That fell short of what socialist figures hoped for, as they were hoping he would select a premier from the left. Olivier Faure of the leftist party commented “since we've not been given any guarantees, we won't give any guarantee” in a vote of confidence.
Fabien Roussel from the Communists said after meeting the president that the left wanted real change, and a prime minister from the moderate faction would not be accepted by the public.
Environmental party head the Green figure expressed shock Macron had provided few concessions to the left, adding that the situation would deteriorate.
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