Poll says Francois Hollande most unpopular French President

Francois Hollande has become the most unpopular French president on record, an opinion poll showed on Monday, with the Socialist leader hit by anger over tax hikes, unemployment and rows over the government’s immigration policy. Hollande’s popularity has sunk to 26 percent of those surveyed, the first time the BVA poll has seen a French president’s approval ratings fall below 30 percent. Hollande’s approval rating had started sinking quite soon after he was elected in May 2012 but this survey shows his popularity lower than that of any other president at any time in their term in the 32 years the BVA survey has been carried out. This underlines the task facing Hollande and his government in reviving their popularity.