Macron’s Popularity Hits New Low Amidst Political Turmoil
Support for President Emmanuel Macron has dropped to its lowest point ever, with fewer than one in five citizens expressing approval for his leadership.
For the first time since he took office in 2017, Macron’s approval rating has slid below 20%, as reported by a recent IFOP poll in Le Journal du Dimanche.
The polls indicate only 19% of voters support Macron, a significant decline compared to previous lows during events like the 2018 Yellow Vest protests, where he had a slightly better rating of 23%.
It seems that he and Prime Minister François Bayrou are facing the lowest approval ratings of any leader and prime minister since the establishment of the Fifth Republic in 1958.
In a twist, Bayrou—a longtime ally of Macron and who recently took on more responsibility—has managed to garner only 18% support.
While former socialist President François Hollande had a lower record than Macron, his prime minister, Manuel Valls, still managed to achieve 38% support during his tenure.
The government is currently grappling with EU spending regulations and appears to be gearing up for another contentious budget debate. France risks economic penalties if it fails to align its finances with Brussels’ fiscal expectations.
Bayrou’s efforts to delegate major decisions, especially concerning the retirement age, have not yielded the expected consensus. The administration is dealing with a budget shortfall of about 44 billion euros, exacerbated by cuts to public holidays, limits on unemployment benefits, and unpopular tax increases.
His proposal includes a “solidarity contribution” from the wealthy, but it has faced backlash from both political ends, accused of unfairly burdening the working class. Meanwhile, public anger is mounting over the government’s inability to tackle pressing societal issues.
The budget battle is anticipated to intensify in September, raising concerns about a potential unification of various factions in parliament aiming to oust the prime minister and call for new elections.
On Sunday, Arnaud Benedetti, editor-in-chief of Political Review and a professor at the University of Paris Sorbonne, remarked that the current French political climate might remind some of the pre-revolutionary era of 1789, as it seems to disregard the public’s needs on crucial matters such as immigration.
“This resembles an old regime atmosphere without any meaningful progress, overshadowed by a troubling arrogance,” Benedetti stated. He pointed out that the disconnect between the ruling minority and the broader populace is widening significantly.
“The unprecedented unpopularity of this executive duo reflects a troubling indifference from those in power towards the ongoing frustrations of the citizens,” he added, highlighting the discontent simmering beneath the surface.
