President Emmanuel Macron and Prime Minister Gabriel Attal have experienced a significant decline in popularity, while the latest polls shows France's far-right National Rally in the lead ahead of legislative elections taking place over two rounds at the end of June and beginning of July.
France's far right National Rally (RN) party and its allies are seen leading the first round of the country's parliamentary elections with 35.5 percent of the vote, according to a poll published this Sunday.
The Ipsos survey – conducted for Le Parisien newspaper and Radio France on 19 and 20 June – showed the left-wing New Popular Front (NPF) alliance in second place with 29.5 percent of the vote.
President Emmanuel Macron's centrist alliance was seen in third place, winning 19.5 percent of votes.
However, the popularity of both Macron and Prime Minister Gabriel Attal has slumped significantly.
Emmanuel Macron's popularity rating collapsed by five points in June compared with May, with 26 percent of French people satisfied with his actions.
Attal's popularity rating fell by four points, to 41 percent satisfied, according to an Ifop poll published in Le Journal du Dimanche.
According to the survey – which was conducted after the head of state's decision to dissolve the National Assembly – his popularity has fallen to one of its lowest levels since 2017.
deux points de retard sur le RN pour le NFP
— Stanislas Mourdon (@StanMourdon) June 22, 2024
Et un électeur sur 4 dont le vote peut encore changer.
Sondage Ipsos/Le Parisien/Radio France
(il manque la marge d'erreur)https://t.co/knUDkeEcx9 pic.twitter.com/El9l0hWJXU
No absolute majority for far-right
Meanwhile, the turnout rate is expected to be between 60 and 64 percent, which would be much higher than the 47.5 percent seen at the last general election in June 2022.
Despite the RN's lead in polls ahead of the election that will take place in two rounds, on 30 June and 7 July, the party is unlikely to win an absolute majority.
Macron called the ballot after his alliance's crushing defeat at EU elections earlier this month.
In a separate Ipsos survey, published by the Financial Times, the National Rally is seen as the most trustworthy when it comes to managing the economy and public finances.
According to the survey, 25 percent of respondents trust Marine Le Pen's RN the most to take the right decisions on economic issues, versus 22 percent for the New Popular Front and 20 percent for Macron's alliance.
