President Emmanuel Macron’s popularity has sunk to its lowest level since his election in 2017, according to recent polling data. A mere 25% of those surveyed expressed a positive opinion of the French leader in a monthly poll released Friday. This decline comes at a crucial time as France navigates a complex landscape of domestic and international challenges.
The survey, conducted by Toluna/Harris Interactive for LCI television, also revealed a significant drop in the number of French citizens planning to watch Macron’s traditional New Year’s address. Only 37% of respondents indicated they intend to tune in to the annual televised speech on December 31st.
“With international tensions easing somewhat, the President of the Republic is being judged more on domestic issues than last November,” stated Jean-Daniel Lévy, Deputy Director at Toluna/Harris Interactive. He noted that Macron’s approval ratings had previously dipped to similar lows in November.
The poll suggests a growing disconnect between the French public and their leader. Nearly two-thirds (62%) of French citizens said they would not watch the New Year’s address, compared to the 37% who plan to watch it live. This contrasts with 40% who were interested in watching the speech a year ago and 43% two years prior.
Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu’s approval rating remained relatively stable at 34% in December, while most other ministers experienced a decline in their popularity, with the exception of the Minister of the Environment, who maintained a 15% approval rating. Overall, most political figures saw a decrease in their favorability at the end of the year.
Jordan Bardella, leader of the National Rally, continues to lead the confidence index at 42%, closely followed by Marine Le Pen (39%) and Bruno Retailleau of the Republicans (30%). These figures highlight the shifting dynamics within the French political landscape and the challenges facing the Macron administration.
