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Bloomberg
French President Emmanuel Macron’s popularity fell to its lowest level in three years, as opposition to his plan to reform the nation’s pension system remains steady.
Only 32% of French people say they’re happy with the president, down 2 points from a month ago, according to the Ifop poll published by French newspaper Journal du Dimanche.
The last time his popularity fell to such a level in the monthly Ifop poll was in early 2020, when France was paralysed by strikes against a previous pension reform proposal. Macron later backed down, citing the need to focus on the Covid-19 pandemic.
His current plan, which includes a provision to postpone the minimum retirement age from 62 to 64, has triggered strikes and demonstrations since January.
A separate poll showed 67% of people still oppose it, and labour unions promised to bring France to a halt on March 7 if Macron doesn’t back down again.
The president’s popularity is now also dwindling among those who voted for him last year and nationals who support his policies. The latest Ifop poll was conducted over seven days starting from February 9, on a sample of 1,952 people.