French President Macron’s popularity hits new low

PARIS: French President Emmanuel Macron´s popularity dropped to a new low since his first election in 2017, in a poll published on Sunday.

Just 21 percent of respondents to the Ifop poll published in the Journal de Dimanche newspaper expressed satisfaction with the president.

His popularity has sunk even lower than it did during the 2019 stand off with the “yellow vests” movement that saw weekly anti-Macron protests that lasted more than a year.

His popularity in Sunday´s poll was marginally lower than his 22 percent score in November.

Those expressing dissatisfaction (35) and great dissatisfaction (44) with Macron made up 79 percent of respondents to the poll.

Most alarmingly since a December poll, is that Macron´s popularity dropped by 10 percent amongst old people and pensioners -- usually a bastion of his support.

Macron´s popularity has plummeted again since he dissolved parliament in the summer, just before Paris hosted the Olympic Games, leading to inconclusive parliamentary elections that have left France in a political crisis ever since.

The poll was conducted amongst 2,001 people aged over 18 online between January 15 and 23.