Chirac's Popularity Slides Lower

Last month, on the heels of the French electorate rejecting the EU Constitution, French President Jacques Chirac's popularity nose-dived to a mere 26 percent. Apologetic analysts said it was because of a general discontent with politicians that had been developing for several years. Alternatively, leading sociologist Gerard Mermet had this to say.

"France is paralysed by its fear, handicapped by its national shortsightedness, lacking imagination, numb, closed off, depressed. We refuse to adapt," he said. "Compared with our neighbours, we are not open to reality. Rather than accepting the facts, we prefer to ignore them, deny them or twist them. A masochistic, even a suicidal tendency is developing."

I don't buy the "general discontent" explanation at all. Mr. Mermet, however, is on to something. But, that's all last month's news.

From The Scotsman:

President Jacques Chirac, whose popularity has been steadily falling, now has the approval of only 21% of French voters, with more than seven French in 10 saying they did not have confidence in the head of state, according to a poll published today.

Of course, since the poll numbers were released today, Chirac's leftist apologists haven't had time to imagine a new explanation.

To see a drop in popularity of five percentage points in a month is substantial in any political venue. More telling, though, is the fact that only about one in five of Chirac's fellow Frenchmen approve of him. I have a feeling that Chirac will do something exceedingly bright or exceedingly dumb in the near future in an attempt to bolster his popularity. And, whatever it is, it will be something dramatic that cannot be ignored.

Obviously, I'm guessing, but I can't see Chirac letting his popularity languish at 21 percent with the chance that it may slide further.