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French President Macron's popularity slumps to record low in poll

 

FILE PHOTO: French President Emmanuel Macron attends a ceremony marking the 78th anniversary of late French General Charles de Gaulle's resistance call of June 18, 1940, at the Mont Valerien memorial in Suresnes, near Paris, France, June 18, 2018. REUTERS/Charles Platiau/File Photo

 

PARIS (Reuters) - French President Emmanuel Macron's popularity has hit a record low following the resignation of a popular minister and a summer scandal over his bodyguard, a poll showed on Thursday.

 

Only 23 percent of those surveyed reported a favourable opinion of Macron in September, down from 27 percent last month, the YouGov poll for Le Huff Post and CNEWS found.

 

Macron's popularity is low in most polls but the YouGov survey pegged it worse than others and indicated poor ratings across the political spectrum.

 

The former investment banker has sold his pro-business reform drive on promises that it will boost growth and jobs, but many voters ranging from conservative pensioners to low-income workers complain his policies mostly benefit companies and the rich.

 

He was dealt a blow last week with the surprise resignation of his environment minister, a popular former activist and TV presenter, during a live radio interview.

 

In July his leadership was put to the test when a scandal broke out as video emerged showing his top bodyguard beating May Day protesters.

 

Meanwhile, soft economic data has raised questions about whether he has the right recipe for growth while hesitation over a tax collection reform has painted him as unusually indecisive.

 

His government has repeatedly shrugged off poor poll ratings, insisting it will not waver on the reform agenda as politically sensitive overhauls of unemployment insurance and pensions loom in the months ahead.

 

The YouGov poll was conducted on Aug. 29-30 with a sample of 1,099 people.

 

(Reporting by Leigh Thomas; editing by Andrew Roche)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2018-09-06

[Ralf61]

Good Morning, la France...

[AlexRich]

Don't quite understand what the fuss is over the bodyguard laying in to protestors (he was not on duty) ... what's that got to do with Macron? 

[DoctorG]

2 hours ago, AlexRich said:

Don't quite understand what the fuss is over the bodyguard laying in to protestors (he was not on duty) ... what's that got to do with Macron? 

[Sotto voce, but just within hearing of bodyguard]

"wont somebody rid me of those damn protestors"?

[AlexRich]

37 minutes ago, DoctorG said:

[Sotto voce, but just within hearing of bodyguard]

"wont somebody rid me of those damn protestors"?

 

Okay, I didn't understand that Macron was actually there?

[blazes]

How long did it take for Francois Hollande to dip down to 5% approval rating?

The flight to the Centre, which Macron tries (or tried?) to persuade all of Europe to follow, is over and done with for the time being.

[Retiredandhappyhere]

Macron will continue to shrug off low popularity ratings  and proceed with his unpopular policies UNTIL the next election is looming. when he will probably do an urgent about turn, in the interests of the country, of course.

[3NUMBAS]

not surprising with the place full of campers in the streets and peeing and pooping in public ..france is like UK in the 70s

[mfd101]

The French are intensely conservative - that's why their politics is so leftwing.

 

Mention the word 'reform' and half the country goes on strike. And they MUCH prefer equality to freedom. Mediocrity together is MUCH better than excellence for some.

 

As a shopkeeper you can't even hold a sale tomorrow to get rid of surplus stock. No No! that would give you an unfair advantage over other people who aren't having a sale. There are set days set aside each year -  2 or 3 - when EVERYONE has a sale ... which rather removes the whole point of a sale in the first place, at least from the shopkeeper's point of view.

 

They think Macron has turned out to be very rightwing. That's why his popularity is down. He's trying to free up the economy from its union-controlled 35 hours-a-week everything-on-Sunday-closed control freekery. In Oz he would be definitely left of centre and in Usofa he would be one of those neo-communist 'liberal' lefties ...

[blazes]

4 hours ago, 3NUMBAS said:

not surprising with the place full of campers in the streets and peeing and pooping in public ..france is like UK in the 70s

 

And don't forget all the freaking dogs in Paris who seem to be taken short three times a day after meals....

[candide]

10 hours ago, Retiredandhappyhere said:

Macron will continue to shrug off low popularity ratings  and proceed with his unpopular policies UNTIL the next election is looming. when he will probably do an urgent about turn, in the interests of the country, of course.

That's obvious. He strategy is to implement unpopular policies at the beginning of his mandate, and then implement more social policies during the last part of it.

[bartender100]

AS a Brit we complain about rampant out of control  immigration, but the French have been completely shafted, the right wing only missed out getting in the last election because of Penn.

 

The French are as fed up as the Brits with having no control of their country

[simple1]

11 hours ago, 3NUMBAS said:

not surprising with the place full of campers in the streets and peeing and pooping in public ..france is like UK in the 70s

Never saw such behaviour in the UK in the 70s, a period when I was constantly travelling throughout the UK on business. However, Macron's unpopularity is likely due to his efforts to try and make France more competitive by tuning labour entitlements / laws.

[bristolboy]

17 hours ago, DoctorG said:

[Sotto voce, but just within hearing of bodyguard]

"wont somebody rid me of those damn protestors"?

Since no one else seems to have hear that it seems only reasonable to conclude that these voices are coming from inside your head.

[DoctorG]

8 minutes ago, bristolboy said:

Since no one else seems to have hear that it seems only reasonable to conclude that these voices are coming from inside your head.

You and Alex appear to not understand something very simple. If Macron, in his office talks quietly to himself then his bodyguard might be the only person to overhear. Strange that I need to explain this.