French Political Landscape in December 2025: Approval Ratings and New Entrants

The political mood in France remains highly dynamic as of December 2025, with the latest Ipsos bva-CESI barometer revealing significant shifts in approval ratings and public concerns. President Emmanuel Macron's popularity holds steady at 19%, despite 77% of opinions being unfavorable, showing a slight gain among left-wing backers but decline among centrists. Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu experiences a drop in approval to 25%, with a notable 60% disapproval rate.

Purchasing power continues to dominate the French public's concerns, cited by 49% of respondents, followed by worries about the future of the social system (44%) and crime (34%). These persistent issues backdrop the political contest ahead.

In the realm of potential 2027 presidential candidates, Jordan Bardella leads satisfaction ratings at 37%, up 4 points over last month, with Marine Le Pen close behind at 33%. Edouard Philippe gains at 24%, while former president François Hollande remains the favored left-wing candidate at 17%, though 58% express dissatisfaction with him.

Amid these national trends, a notable political development in Nice has caught attention. Jean-Pierre Rivère, the former 14-year president of the OGC Nice football club, has entered politics at 68 by joining Eric Ciotti's UDR list allied with the National Rally (RN). This unexpected alliance formed rapidly over three weeks and positions Rivère to become first deputy mayor if Ciotti wins the municipal election against incumbent Christian Estrosi from Horizons.

These developments highlight a fluid and contested French political environment, with established leaders facing challenges and new figures emerging on both local and national stages.