Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: Five killed in the Israeli bombing of a civilian vehicle on Al-Qassam Street in Khan Younis, south of the Gaza Strip
Hamas confirms that it has no connection to the shooting incident in Rafah and affirms its commitment to the ceasefire agreement
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: Two civilians were killed and four others, including a child and an infant, were injured in an Israeli bombing of a house belonging to the Al-Banna family in the al-Sabra neighborhood, south of Gaza City
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: An Israeli airstrike targets the vicinity of Al-Shifa Medical Complex, west of Gaza City
Al-Qassam: We will postpone the handover of the body of the Israeli captive we found, which was scheduled for today, due to the occupation's violations
Al Mayadeen's correspondent in Gaza: Israeli occupation aircraft launch airstrikes on the city of Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip
Netanyahu's office: At the end of the security consultations, the prime minister instructed the military to launch massive military strikes on the Gaza Strip immediately
President Aoun: We urge the activation of the monitoring committee, the cessation of hostilities, ongoing Israeli violations, attacks
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun to US Envoy Morgan Ortagus: Southerners must be enabled to return to their homes and rebuild
Syrian sources: The Israeli occupation has begun withdrawing from the areas it infiltrated last night in the Quneitra countryside.

Approval rate of Macron, Borne fall to record lows over pension reform

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: Agencies
  • 22 Jan 2023 22:45
3 Min Read

65% of respondents said they were dissatisfied with the French head of state's actions in January, which marks an increase of 3 points compared to the previous month.

  • x
  • French President Emmanuel Macron and French Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne. (AP)
    French President Emmanuel Macron and French Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne (AP)

French President Emmanuel Macron and Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne's approval ratings fell to record lows this month according to an IFOP poll published on Sunday by French magazine Le Journal du Dimanche.

The survey was conducted from January 12-19 among 1,963 French residents over 18. The statistical margin of error is between 1% and 2.3%.

65% of respondents said they were dissatisfied with the French head of state's actions in January, which marks an increase of 3 points compared to the previous month.

Moreover, 34% said they were satisfied with his performance compared to 36% the month before. 

Not only this marks Macron's lowest level of popularity since February 2020, but Borne's approval ratings have also fell to their lowest since she assumed the premiership in May 2022.

64% said they were unhappy with her performance, up from 59% in December 2022. 

Earlier this month, Borne announced the drafting of a controversial pension reform that the government plans to adopt this year. 

The draft has sparked nationwide outrage for its contents, which include raising the retirement age by three months a year from September 1, 2023. 

By 2030, it will cease decreasing once the retirement age reaches 64.

Related News

French education minister appointed new prime minister

France PM invokes clause for 23rd time to pass bill without vote

Read more: France set for 'Black Thursday' nationwide strike over pension reforms

Since January 19, trade unions have been carrying out massive strikes to protest the pension reform, numbering 200 across major cities which include Lyon, Toulouse, Marseilles, Lilles, Nantes, and Paris. 

To add insult to injury, Macron announced on Friday the proposal to allocate a huge chunk of public expenditures to boost the military in 2024-2030. 

Macron's plan essentially involves an increase of 413 billion euros ($446 billion) to the army in 2024-2030, up from 295 billion euros in the previous budget.

A pretext for suggesting such radical measures is that the head of state had scheduled several reforms prior to the outbreak of the pandemic, but their coming to being now has sparked strikes of a scale unseen in the past 30 years.

The purpose of the military boost is intended "to respond to the needs of the armed forces." It would pave the road for the change that France's military requires to deal with prospective challenges, in Macron's view. 

"As war is changing, France has and will have armies ready for the perils of the century," he said."We need to do better and do it differently," Macron explained, adding that “after repairing the armed forces, we are going to transform them.”

Likewise, expenditures for military intelligence to shield against cyber attacks will be raised by 60% for the same period. As for air defense, an increase of about 50% is proposed. 

By boosting military expenditures, France will be meeting "the expectations of a partner," namely NATO.

Read more: Macron: Military Budget to increase to $433Bln between 2024 and 2030

  • Elisabeth Borne
  • Emmanuel Macron
  • France

Most Read

'Israel’s Digital Iron Dome: Weaponizing the web against Palestine

'Israel’s Digital Iron Dome: Weaponizing the web against Palestine

  • Technology
  • 24 Oct 2025
Arab League chief exposes secret US deal shielding 'Israel’s' nukes

Arab League chief exposes secret US deal shielding 'Israel’s' nukes

  • Politics
  • 27 Oct 2025
Abu Hamza, the spokesperson for the Al-Quds Brigades, during a speech televised on October 22, 2025 (Al-Quds Brigades Military Media)

Al-Quds Brigades' Abu Hamza mourns leaders, vows continued resistance

  • Politics
  • 22 Oct 2025
US missionary kidnapped in Niger capital, suspected taken toward Mali

US missionary kidnapped in Niger capital, suspected taken toward Mali

  • Africa
  • 23 Oct 2025

Coverage

All
War on Gaza

Read Next

All
Delta Air Lines flight lands at Harry Reid International Airport, Wednesday, April 9, 2025, in Las Vegas (AP)
Politics

Nearly 3,800 US flights disrupted amid ongoing government shutdown

FILE - The Amazon logo is pictured at the Amazon Robotic Sorting Fulfillment Center in Madison County, Miss., Aug. 11, 2022. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis, File)
Economy

Amazon to cut 30,000 jobs in largest layoff in company history

Eurofighter Typhoon Spain's Air Force fighter jets fly above the military parade marking 'Día de la Hispanidad', or Hispanic Day, in Madrid, Spain, Sunday, Oct. 12, 2025. (AP)
Politics

UK sells 20 Eurofighter jets to Türkiye in £8bln defense agreement

Smoke billows after drone strikes by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) targeted the northern port in the Red Sea city of Port Sudan, Sudan, May 6, 2025 (AP)
Politics

RSF tighten El Fasher siege as Sudan risks fragmentation: Reuters

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS