“Macron is confined to his palace”. It is with these strong words that the leader of the Insoumis deputies in the National Assembly, Mathilde Panot, described the loneliness of the President of the Republic within the Elysée. “He had to cancel the visit of King Charles III, he had to cancel his visit to the Stade de France and now he is canceling his visit to Toulon […]. What will happen? There will be a president in its besieged citadel, the ministers and the Macronist parliamentarians who are advised not to go out … It is not serious to continue like this.”, she judged on RMC.
Since the adoption of the pension reform through the use of Article 49.3 of the Constitution, protest and social anger seem to have increased. Today, the mobilizations go well beyond the question of pensions but also extend over a whole section of Emmanuel Macron’s policy.
Since his re-election, the popularity rating of the President of the Republic has been at its lowest and is even close to the level reached in November 2018, in the midst of the yellow vests crisis. According to a BVA poll conducted for RTL and published on March 27, only 28% of French people still have a favorable opinion of the Head of State. This is only 2 points difference with the 26% achieved in 2018.
Faced with this, within the presidential camp, concern and tension rise a notch. “Not having thought for a single second that 49.3 was going to set the country on fire is a crazy mistake,” whispered a ministerial adviser to franceinfo. Elected as councilors thus regret the loneliness of the president and what it could lead to.
As social anger rumbles in the streets of the country, some loyal to the president deplore his deafness to the claims. “When we are at the Elysée, we have all the sensors, we know what is happening in the country, but he does not listen”, asserts a macronist to our colleagues.
The multiplication of his official trips also makes people talk. Before his trip to Savines-le-Lac to unveil his “water plan” on Thursday March 30, two months had passed since his last meeting with the French. “He no longer goes out, except to do Inter or Europe, we have the impression that France annoys him”, noted a close Renaissance friend to franceinfo, describing “an isolated president, who does not ‘nobody listens anymore’.
With popularity at rock bottom and a country particularly divided, the role of the president is however crucial and some of those close to him say that he is in tune with the country.
“Between the short-term polls and the general interest of the country, I choose the general interest of the country. And if it is necessary, behind, to endorse unpopularity today, I will endorse it”, hammered Emmanuel Macron during of his interview on TF1 and France 2 on March 22, 2023.
In its ranks, while some criticize it bitterly, others assert this logic. “He is very aware of the state of the country. He made the choice to reform the country against a majority public opinion and he assumes it”, declared a deputy of the majority to our colleagues. While an adviser assures that the president “is more than ever keen to better take society into account and renovate democracy”.
However, doubt hangs over the realism of the president. “Emmanuel Macron says: ‘I am sure that we will all be able to unite and come together for the future of our country.’ But, does he realize that people are united against him?”, estimated Jérémie Peltier, co-director of the Jean-Jaurès Foundation.
