Macron's disapproval rating hits record high

Disapproval of French President Emmanuel Macron reached a record high in July, as he pushes ahead with reforms that have cemented his reputation as a leader who is part of an elite aloof from ordinary French people and their problems, an opinion poll showed, Express.co.uk reported.

Some critics have accused the president of being a bad listener and of living in a “bubble,” while others have argued he is simply making good on his campaign promises.

The Ifop Fiducial poll for the weekly Paris Match and Sud Radio showed that 59 percent of people polled disapproved of the 40-year-old centrist’s actions as president, up two percentage points from Ifop Fiducial’s previous poll in June.

Only 41 percent of respondents said they approved of Mr Macron’s actions, down two points from last month. That puts his popularity down 12 points in six months and 15 points in 12 months. While 58 percent of those polled said they liked the way Mr Macron represents them abroad, 71 percent said that he is too far removed from the everyday preoccupations of the French.

Ifop’s deputy chief Frédéric Dabi said: “This is his highest disapproval rating yet… His popularity is eroding,”