A Year After Taking Office, Most French People Dislike Macron

A year after his meteoric rise to power, French President Emmanuel Macron has won the sympathy of part of the electorate with his reformist zeal, but polls show that the majority of the country still dislikes him.

“If there is one thing that the French agree on, it is that the president should be active. They do not agree on the quality of those actions,” said Jean-Daniel Levy, an analyst at the Harris Interactive polling agency.

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After a dizzying ascent to the Élysée Palace, Macron experienced a rapid decline in popularity when he began to push for changes to labor laws that facilitate hiring and firing workers last September.

Support for him fell from a high post-election 64% to 36% after his first 100 days in office, according to an Ifop survey.

This was even lower than his unpopular socialist predecessor François Hollande during the same period.

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However, in recent months, his public support has risen to 40 to 45%, more than Hollande during the same period and equal to right-winger Nicolas Sarkozy, who ruled from 2007 to 2012.

Such a turnaround is unusual for French presidents, said analyst Chloe Morin from the Jean-Jaures Foundation think tank.

“It seems that people are willing to give him time,” she said.

Unpopular Rivals

Although they are patient, French voters generally perceive Macron negatively even as the economy grows and unemployment falls.

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An Ipsos survey for the consulting firm Sopra Steria published on Wednesday showed that a year after the elections, two-thirds of voters – 64% – are disappointed with his results.

But for comfort, Macron only needs to look at the ratings of his main political rivals, who cannot pose a serious threat to him.

On his march to the presidential palace, Macron trampled both socialists and republicans (center-right), while far-right leader Marine Le Pen weakened after her electoral defeat.

An Ipsos survey from April 25 showed that only 26% of voters have a positive opinion of leftist Jean-Luc Mélenchon, 24% of Le Pen, and 17% of opposition republican leader Laurent Wauquiez.

A Good Representative of France

Although his public support varies, voters’ views on Macron’s strengths and weaknesses are generally stable.

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He is seen as a man with the vision needed to transform France and an advocate of free trade and multilateralism.

But he is also perceived as lacking understanding of the everyday concerns of his fellow citizens, partly due to his tax reduction program, which has mainly benefited the wealthy.

An Elabe survey at the end of March showed that 74% of voters believe his policies are “unfair,” and 77% believe they contribute to divisions in the country.

He has exceeded expectations on the international stage.

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Before the elections, Macron’s opponents warned that the 40-year-old president would struggle to defend French interests at a time when “politics is conducted with muscle.”

However, by hosting Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump in the first two months of his term and opposing Trump over his decision to withdraw from the Paris Climate Agreement, “he quickly established himself as president,” said Jeanbart.

No Concrete Improvement for Ordinary People

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At home, his strict stances on immigration – he plans to accelerate the deportation of economic migrants without visas – and favoring the business sector have cost him support on the left.

Voters on the right, however, are impressed by his refusal to yield to mass protests.

Elabe analyst Bernard Sananes said that Macron is still being judged by his goals, not results.

“The wave of optimism that followed the presidential elections is slowly diminishing,” he told Les Echos.

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“The French see that the economic situation is generally better, but they have not yet experienced a concrete improvement in their own situation,” he added.