Macron approval plummets to 17% after October 17 unrest
CSA poll shows a 7-point fall in Macron's rating and growing criticism inside the Renaissance party over the handling of the October 17 protests.
French President Emmanuel Macron is facing a deepening crisis of public confidence after nationwide unrest on October 17, with a new CSA survey finding his approval rating at just 17 percent while 83 percent of respondents say they are dissatisfied with his performance.
The poll, which interviewed 1,000 adults, shows Macron's popularity fell by seven percentage points compared with the previous month following the wave of demonstrations, clashes and looting that swept French cities.
The steepest drop came among young people aged 18 to 24, where approval plunged by 23 percentage points — a shift observers connect to growing discontent among high-school and university students over the government's education policies. Support also collapsed among traders, craftsmen and small-business owners, with approval down 22 percentage points amid material losses many businesses suffered during the disturbances.
Criticism from inside Renaissance
Pressure on the president is not limited to public opinion. Figures inside his own Renaissance party have intensified their criticism, questioning Macron's capacity to manage the crisis and lamenting his handling of security forces' response.
"With this speech, which said nothing substantive, Macron threw the last shovel of earth into the coffin of his presidential term," said a minister from Renaissance, accusing the president that "he is leading the government into an abyss." Political circles close to Gabriel Attal also expressed anger over Macron's decision not to postpone a trip to the Middle East despite the domestic emergency. An unnamed Élysée adviser told the pollster she had considered resigning after the address.
The political turbulence is also weighing on Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu: his approval fell five percentage points to 22 percent. Discontent with the premier is particularly marked in rural areas (79 percent negative). Among the wealthiest and most educated respondents, negative views reached 77 percent — up 11 points — while pensioners' dissatisfaction rose eight points to 73 percent. Macron's second term runs through 2027, raising questions about his political future.
Photo: press material from the event
