At home and abroad, the name Emmanuel Macron elicits vastly different reactions.
In many countries, the 39-year-old French president remains a symbol of youthful dynamism, a darling of social democrats who have been shocked by Brexit and the ascent of Donald Trump. But in France, the man whose landslide victory in May marked the end of Europe’s populist surge is falling out of favour - and fast.
In view of the sky-high expectations for Macron, his initial slide in the polls was to be expected, political analysts say. After little more than three months in office, however, he faces a full-fledged nose-dive in public opinion. According to the latest YouGov poll, published at the beginning of August, just 36 per cent of the French now approve of their president, roughly the same as the percentage of Americans who approve of Trump. On May 7, 66 per cent of French voters supported Macron.
This file photo taken on July 25 shows French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte Macron arriving to attend a concert by the Pierre Claver Association at the Elysee Palace in Paris. Photo: AFP
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That steep decline - especially given the relief that followed Macron’s trouncing of the far-right Marine Le Pen - has baffled political operatives and pollsters here. And although poll numbers fluctuate, the latest figures also have many wondering about the viability of the president’s newly established political party and his ambitious economic proposals.
In an interview, Antoni Minniti, a research director at YouGov France, attributed the unusual drop-off to a “convergence of elements” after Macron’s first 100 days in office. Among the frequently cited factors his team noticed, he said, were reactions to the president’s perceived lack of respect for the French military and the relative inexperience and lack of discipline shown by his party’s parliamentary deputies.
US President Donald Trump (left) and French President Emmanuel Macron shake hands on May 25 on the sidelines of the Nato summit in Brussels. Photo: AFP
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Others say the decline can be explained in part by France’s system of government, in which the president enjoys far broader powers than many of his Western peers - including the power to dissolve Parliament. As a result, he receives all the credit or all the blame whenever either is due.
