France's Budget Balancing Act: A Prime Minister's Tough Task

In a surprising turn of events, Sébastien Lecornu is back as France's prime minister, just days after stepping down. President Macron made this announcement after a meeting with major political parties, excluding the far-right and far-left. Lecornu's return wasn't expected, as he had publicly stated he wasn't interested in the job anymore. Lecornu now faces a huge challenge: forming a government and presenting next year's budget to parliament by Monday. Macron has given him full freedom to act, but it's unclear if he can gather enough support. France's public debt is huge, almost 114% of its economic output, and the budget deficit is projected to reach 5. 4% this year. Lecornu has warned that everyone must work together to fix France's financial problems. He also said that anyone joining his government must put their presidential ambitions on hold. This is a tough task, as Macron's popularity is at a record low, and his party doesn't have a majority in the National Assembly. The far-right National Rally, which wasn't invited to Macron's meeting, has criticized Lecornu's reappointment, calling it a "bad joke. " They plan to bring a vote of no confidence against the government. Lecornu has already spent time talking to potential allies, but forming a government won't be easy. Macron's team has hinted at a possible delay to part of the controversial pension reforms, which raised the retirement age to 64. This move aims to win support from left-wing parties, but it might anger centrist allies who fought hard for the reforms. Left-wing leaders, however, want more significant changes and a prime minister from their side.