French leader, PM face growing discontent new poll reveals

A new survey conducted by Ipsos and CESI École d’ingénieurs for La Tribune de Dimanche reveals widespread public dissatisfaction with France’s top leadership.

According to the poll, nearly two-thirds of French citizens disapprove of both President Emmanuel Macron and Prime Minister François Bayrou, Caliber.Az reports via Russian media. 

Among the 1,000 French adults surveyed, 70 per cent said they disapprove of President Macron’s performance—an increase of one percentage point compared to last month. Meanwhile, support for the president dropped slightly to just 26 per cent, with the remaining respondents expressing no clear opinion. Prime Minister Bayrou fared similarly poorly. His disapproval rating surged by three percentage points to 67 per cent, while only 24 per cent of respondents voiced support for his leadership—a one-point decline from the previous month. 

While the survey did not pinpoint exact reasons behind the drop in approval, analysts noted that the polling took place shortly after a high-profile court ruling targeting the far-right National Rally party. In that case, the party’s leader and 2027 presidential hopeful, Marine Le Pen, was sentenced to four years in prison—two of which are to be served under electronic monitoring and two suspended. 

She was also banned from seeking public office for five years, pending appeal. Despite the ruling, Le Pen’s popularity appears to have weathered the storm. Her approval rating rose by two points to 33 per cent, while opposition to her candidacy increased slightly to 50 per cent. 

National Rally’s formal leader, Jordan Bardella, outperformed Le Pen, garnering 34 per cent support versus 48 per cent opposition. Both figures put the right-wing contenders ahead of their likely center-right rivals in a hypothetical 2027 presidential race. Trailing them are former Prime Minister Édouard Philippe with 31 per cent support, Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau at 27 per cent, and former Prime Minister Gabriel Attal at 24 per cent. 

On the political left, prospects remain dim. The only potential candidates showing notable support are Raphaël Glucksmann and former President François Hollande, each with just 17 per cent approval—further emphasizing the growing dominance of right-leaning figures in France’s evolving political landscape.

By Naila Huseynova