May 14, 2008

Abstract: (Angus Reid Global Monitor) - Just over a third of adults in France believe Nicolas Sarkozy is doing a good job, according to a poll by LH2 published in Libération. 36 per cent of respondents have a positive opinion of their president’s performance, down four points since late March.

(Angus Reid Global Monitor) - Just over a third of adults in France believe Nicolas Sarkozy is doing a good job, according to a poll by LH2 published in Libération. 36 per cent of respondents have a positive opinion of their president’s performance, down four points since late March.

In addition, 46 per cent of respondents hold a positive opinion of French prime minister François Fillon, down four points in a month.

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 Fillon—who had been his adviser and presidential campaign leader—as prime minister.

Earlier this month, Sarkozy accused five French media organizations—including Agence France Press (AFP)—of being too lenient with opposition parties and showing bias against the president and his cabinet. The government asked AFP to explain why a court ruling against Sarkozy’s main presidential contender in 2007, Ségolène Royal, was not reported prominently. AFP said it had previously reported the case in detail.

On May 12, members of Royal’s Socialist Party (PS) accused Sarkozy’s UMP of intimidating journalists. PS member Faouzi Lamdaoui issued a statement, which read: "This is a new smokescreen aimed at obscuring the government’s errors and Sarkozy’s record low popularity."

Polling Data

Do you have a positive or negative opinion of Nicolas Sarkozy’s performance as president?

	May 3	Mar. 29	Mar. 1
Positive	36%	40%	37%
Negative	53%	54%	59%

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

	May 3	Mar. 29	Mar. 1
Positive	46%	50%	53%
Negative	41%	42%	40%

Source: LH2 / Libération
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 1,004 French adults, conducted on May 2 and May 3, 2008. No margin of error was provided.