Macron popularity still weak after Notre-Dame fire: poll

PARIS: The popularity of French President Emmanuel Macron remains stuck at under 30 percent as he battles a series of political troubles, with no major change reported after the Notre-Dame fire, a poll said on Sunday.

According to the Ifop poll for the Journal du Dimanche just 29 percent of people polled said they are satisfied with the job Macron is doing, with 69 percent dissatisfied. This April reading was unchanged from the last poll in March, the newspaper said.

The poll, carried out up until April 20, was published at the end of a dramatic week for Macron which saw him address the nation over the damage to the Notre-Dame cathedral in Monday’s devastating fire.

The president vowed to rebuild the Paris landmark in just five years, a target some observers see as over ambitious. The fire also prompted him to shelve a speech planed for Monday outlining his response to the "yellow vest" protests against social inequality that have shaken his young presidency. With tax cuts and other major reforms expected to be announced, Macron is to hold the first ever formal press conference of his presidency on Thursday.