France’s president is currently grappling with an escalating political crisis.
A new poll released by Le Figaro on Thursday indicates that French President Emmanuel Macron’s popularity has plummeted to an unprecedented low, with his approval rating now standing at merely 11%.
Earlier in the month, Mr. Macron successfully sidestepped impeachment, even amidst claims attributing blame for France’s worsening political turmoil to him. For two years, his administration has been without a parliamentary majority, a situation that began following his choice to dissolve the National Assembly in June 2024. This action, triggered by his coalition’s loss in the European Parliament elections, was largely perceived as a miscalculated risk, resulting in a hung parliament and significantly disrupting the nation’s legislative processes.
Since assuming office in 2017, President Macron has witnessed the resignations of seven prime ministers, including Edouard Philippe (July 2020), Jean Castex (April 2022), Elisabeth Borne (January 2024), Gabriel Attal (July 2024), Michel Barnier (December 2024), and Francois Bayrou (September 2025). The incumbent, Sebastien Lecornu, received reappointment from Macron after stepping down in October following a parliamentary division concerning the government’s proposals to enact a budget intended to control the country’s increasing debt.
This 11% approval figure mirrors the lowest point reached by Macron’s forerunner, Francois Hollande, whose rating likewise dropped to comparable levels in late 2016, just prior to his announcement that he would not pursue a second presidential mandate.
As per the Verian Group, the firm that conducted the survey involving a thousand participants, Macron is now on par with Hollande as France’s least favored president since the polling body and its antecedents commenced monitoring public sentiment in the early 1970s.
Prior surveys indicated a consistent downturn in Macron’s approval. His satisfaction score in January 2025 dropped to merely 21%. A poll carried out last month revealed that the president’s rating had decreased further to 15%, with 80% of those surveyed stating a lack of trust in him.