BFMTV POLL. 56% of French people think Macron was right to rule out the option of an NFP government

According to an Elabe poll for BFMTV published this Wednesday, August 28, a majority of French people consider that the President of the Republic made the right decision in deciding to rule out this hypothesis of an NFP government, against 43% who believe that he was wrong.

When Emmanuel Macron announced on Monday, August 26, that he was ruling out the possibility of a New Popular Front government in the name of “institutional stability,” the NFP parties denounced a “democratic coup” and La France Insoumise called for a demonstration on September 7. However, a majority of French people believe that the President of the Republic was right not to choose this option, according to a new survey “L’Opinion en direct” conducted by the Elabe institute for BFMTV and published this Wednesday.

More precisely, 56% of French people surveyed believe that the head of state made the right decision, while 43% believe that Emmanuel Macron was wrong. Unsurprisingly, 82% of people who voted for the New Popular Front in the first round of the legislative elections think that Emmanuel Macron was wrong, while only 12% of those who cast a ballot for a candidate from Ensemble pour la République on June 30th believe so.

A small majority (52%) also considers that the decision not to appoint Lucie Castets, the NFP candidate, as Prime Minister does not constitute a “denial of democracy”, while 47% of French people think the opposite. Here again, it is among NFP voters in the first round of the legislative elections that the proportion of people describing this decision as a “denial of democracy” is the highest (82%).

But when the French are asked about the person or people responsible for the absence of a new government more than seven weeks after the legislative elections, it is Emmanuel Macron and the presidential camp who are first pointed out. 63% of those questioned believe that they are primarily responsible for the current situation, a figure up three points compared to the previous survey conducted by Elabe for BFMTV last month. 27% of respondents, however, attribute this responsibility to the New Popular Front.

French people divided on impeachment motion

A responsibility justifying the tabling of a motion to impeach Emmanuel Macron, as La France Insoumise wishes? Nearly half of the French people surveyed (49%) say they are in favour of such a motion while 50% say they are opposed to it. 64% of French people who voted for the NFP and 50% of voters for the RN and its allies are thus in favour of this impeachment procedure.

A clear majority (74%) of French people, both left and right, believe, however, that this motion will not result in the dismissal of the President of the Republic.

As Emmanuel Macron must continue his series of consultations that began on Friday before appointing a head of government, more and more French people (55%) consider that the absence of a new Prime Minister is “a problem” and that “France must not remain without a ‘full-fledged’ government for so long. A month ago, only 50% of them were of this opinion.

A government, yes, but in what configuration? Only one hypothesis receives a majority of favorable opinions from the French (67%), that of a “technical” government composed of experts who are not from a political party. 49% of the French say they are in favor of “a coalition between certain left-wing parties (without La France Insoumise) and the presidential camp.”

But as for the next tenant at Matignon, no personality manages to garner the support of a majority. The one who comes out on top is none other than… Gabriel Attal, the resigning Prime Minister, with 41% of French people wanting him to be reappointed. Next come Jordan Bardella (38%), former Prime Minister Bernard Cazeneuve (28%), Xavier Bertrand (28%) and Lucie Castets (26%).