June 13, 2008

Abstract: (Angus Reid Global Monitor) - French president Nicolas Sarkozy has failed to recover lost public confidence this month, according to a poll by CSA published in Le Parisien. 39 per cent of respondents trust in the president’s ability to face the country’s problems, up one point since late April.

(Angus Reid Global Monitor) - French president Nicolas Sarkozy has failed to recover lost public confidence this month, according to a poll by CSA published in Le Parisien. 39 per cent of respondents trust in the president’s ability to face the country’s problems, up one point since late April.

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. 42 per cent of respondents approve of Fillon’s performance, unchanged since late April.

Earlier this month, Sarkozy traveled to Lebanon to show support for a new coalition government that was sworn in after an 18-month political impasse. Sarkozy declared: "There has been enough suffering and killings in Lebanon. (...) France’s presence today is a message in this fragile moment."

Polling Data

Do you have confidence in French president Nicolas Sarkozy to face the country’s problems?

	Jun. 5	Apr. 30	Apr. 3
Confidence	39%	38%	40%
No confidence	58%	57%	54%

Do you have confidence in French prime minister François Fillon to face the country’s problems?

	Jun. 5	Apr. 30	Apr. 3
Confidence	42%	42%	50%
No confidence	51%	51%	44%

Source: CSA / Le Parisien
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 1,008 French adults, conducted on Jun. 4 and Jun. 5, 2008. No margin of error was provided.