(Angus Reid Global Monitor) - Three-in-five adults in France are not content with Nicolas Sarkozy, according to a poll by Ipsos published in Le Point. 60 per cent of respondents have an unfavourable opinion the president’s performance, up two points since May.

In May 2007, Sarkozy, candidate for the centre-right Union for a Popular Movement (UMP) and former interior minister, won the presidential run-off with 53.06 per cent of the vote. Sarkozy appointed François Fillon—who had been his adviser and presidential campaign leader—as prime minister. 49 per cent of respondents have a positive opinion of Fillon’s performance, down one point in a month.

On Jun. 12, Irish voters rejected the adoption of a common European body of law—known as the Lisbon Treaty—in a national referendum. The treaty needed to be ratified by all European Union (EU) members in order to take effect.

On Jun. 20, Sarkozy discussed his views on European affairs, saying, "Without the Treaty of Lisbon there won’t be any enlargement. You can’t say no to reforms and yes to enlargement." Sarkozy also blamed former British cabinet minister and current European trade commissioner Peter Mandelson for the agreement’s defeat in Ireland, adding, "A child dies of starvation every 30 seconds and the [European] commission wanted to reduce European agriculture production by 21 per cent during World Trade Organization talks. This was really counterproductive."

Mandelson declared: "I think they are making a point about trade, actually, not a serious analysis of the reasons why the Irish people voted No in the referendum. (...) I think [Sarkozy] is over-simplifying the argument, but he is also pointing his finger in the wrong direction."

Polling Data

Do you have a favourable or unfavourable opinion of Nicolas Sarkozy’s performance as president?

Do you have a favourable or unfavourable opinion of François Fillon’s performance as prime minister?

Source: Ipsos / Le Point
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 928 French registered voters, conducted on Jun. 13 and Jun. 14, 2008. No margin of error was provided.

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