French President Nicolas Sarkozy's approval ratings hit a record low in April, pummelled by concerns over the economy and government cost cutting plans, a survey by BVA pollsters said today.
The poll for L'Expressmagazine showed 64 per cent of people had a negative opinion of the
For the first time since his election, Mr Sarkozy is unpopular with pensioners - Jerome Sainte-Marie
president, a year after he took office, up nine points on March. BVA said this was the worst such reading since it started its regular surveys in 1981.
Just 32 per cent of people had a positive view of the president, down eight points on the month.
BVA said SMr arkozy's predecessors Jacques Chirac and Francois Mitterrand both saw their popularity levels drop to 31 per cent during their presidencies, but neither man ever registered such disastrous negative ratings.
"This slump in the president's ratings ... is mainly explained by a brutal fall off in backing from supporters on the right, more especially from supporters of (Sarkozy's) UMP party," said BVA analyst Jerome Sainte-Marie.
"And for the first time since his election, Mr Sarkozy is unpopular with pensioners," he added.
The BVA poll was carried out last week, just before the president made a 90-minute appearance on prime time television to explain his reform programme and apologise for past mistakes.
A survey released after the TV interview said 51 per cent of viewers had not been convinced by his performance, suggesting he won't be getting any immediate relief from his poll blues.