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Support for Macron drops 10 points in four weeks - poll

A poll out Sunday shows the popularity rating of France's new President Emmanuel Macron has slumped 10 points to hit 54 percent over the past month.

French President Emmanuel Macron at the Elysee Palace in Paris, France, July 18, 2017
French President Emmanuel Macron at the Elysee Palace in Paris, France, July 18, 2017 REUTERS/Gonzalo Fuentes
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While Macron has made a strong start on the world stage and won a solid majority in parliament, his first three months in power have not been completely trouble-free.

He was widely criticised by opponents and the press as heavy-handed after a row over budget cuts that ended with the resignation of a highly-regarded military chief.

The 39-year-old leader has also backed a controversial bill to toughen France's security laws that includes measures some rights groups have branded as draconian.

His majority in parliament has drawn concern, with opponents and several newspapers expressing concern over the concentration of power in the presidency.

According to an Ifop poll carried out for Journal du Dimanche newspaper, the number of French people satisfied with his performance fell 10 points from 64 percent in June.

Macron's Prime Minister Edouard Philippe marked an eight point drop to hit 56 percent of French people happy with him, said the poll of 1,947 adults carried out from July 17-22.

France's youngest-ever president, who has sought to project an image of authority since taking office in May, made clear during the row with the military boss that he would brook no insubordination as commander-in-chief.

The leftist Liberation newspaper said Macron's "little authoritarian fit" could be a sign he was drunk on power and said it was time for him "to grow up a bit".

A relative newcomer to politics who won election on a tide of disaffection with mainstream politics, Macron has enjoyed a honeymoon with voters, drawing particular praise for standing up to US President Donald Trump and Russia's Vladimir Putin.

 

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