Pensions: 72% of the French against the reform, a sharp increase in opposition

It may not be the knockout, but the blow is very hard for the executive. Elabe’s new poll “L’Opinion en direct” shows that French opposition to the pension reform bill is on the rise. One week after the first day of the national strike, support for the mobilization also experienced a spectacular increase. In addition, the action of the President of the Republic and his Prime Minister is widely disapproved by public opinion. Finally, the survey shows a worrisome ups and downs for the government: it is losing the support of pensioners.

Almost 3/4 of the French are hostile to the project

This is the most revealing figure from the study. 72% of the French reject the pension reform project. The statistic represents a jump of six points from the measurement taken a week ago… and 13 points from the indicator established two weeks earlier. Of these, 40% say they are “very much against” the plan presented, an increase of 18 points in 15 days.

The unpopularity of the planned device among the active population is confirmed, with a hostility rate of 78%. But we noticed a more remarkable element: the change of opinion of a majority of pensioners. Now 59% are expressing their opposition to the project, after a strong rise of 13 points in the space of a week.

Regarding the socio-professional categories, the angriest belong to the intermediate professions (81% opponents) and the category of workers and employees (80% detractors). 68% of Emmanuel Macron’s voters stand firm with their champion, but the other electorates rule him out. Thus, 88% of the supporters of Jean-Luc Mélenchon, 82% of those of Marine Le Pen and the abstentionists do not want this reform.

The French assure, however, that for them it is not about a partisan battle but about taking a position on the merits of the debate. 84% of the opponents of the reform claim to be so because of its content and not to fight against the government.

“Unfair”, “ineffective”: the unauthorized reform

And they have some criticisms to make of the text. They are 74% to find the project “unfair” – up to ten points in a week -, 62% to torpedo the “inefficiency” to establish the “sustainability of the pension system” – up to five points. Here again, retirees change their tune. 61% of them denounce an “unfair” reform, that is, 19 points more than in the previous measurement. 40% of Emmanuel Macron’s supporters also point to the “injustice” of the solution recommended by the team in power. There are 13 more points in this segment.

However, Emmanuel Macron has not moved in recent days. Saying he believes “in the mandates,” he assured that his victory in the presidential election legitimized the flagship proposal of his “democratically validated and presented” program. The argument does not pass: 71% of the French reply that Emmanuel Macron “is wrong”, Elabe emphasizes, judging that he “was chosen for other reasons, in particular to ‘block’ Marine Le Pen”.

The rating of the executive in free fall

If the presidential word has less acceptance, it is also because the perception of the Executive has soured very markedly. 64% describe Emmanuel Macron’s performance as disappointing, a drop of seven points since October 28 for the Head of State. Only 15% rate it as “satisfactory”. He can still console himself with a relative majority of support among his voters (45%), but disappointment is growing there too: 20%, up nine points.

Among the most “disappointed”, executives and intermediate professions stand out (64% are disappointed, 11 points more than in the previous measurement)… and retirees (62% negative opinions, after a jump of ten points). The working classes are also very clear in their opinion: 65% of employees and workers mention their discontent.

The atmosphere is not warmer for Elisabeth Borne, on the front line of the battle around the pension system. 57% of our fellow citizens consider her “bad” in her role as Prime Minister. A rate that shot up 20 points in four months.

The widely supported mobilization

A questioned pension reform project, a discredited executive: all the conditions are ripe for a plebiscite of the current social movement. Approximately one week after a first day of strike called by the inter-union and six days before the next, 64% of the French are in favor of mobilization. That’s a gain of eight points in seven days. 22% of the French, on the other hand, are opposed, and there are 14% who are indifferent.

The active are fervent supporters of the strikers (69%, four points more in one week). And the retirees are now mostly in the same line: 55%, with a gain of 15 points from the supporters of the mobilization in the same interval. And the signals sent from the very heart of the macronie are not very encouraging for the state leadership: 46% of the voters of the President of the Republic disapprove of the movement, but they are 12% less than before.

Therefore, respondents largely support demonstrations and marches against the reform bill. They are even 57% going further by saying “understand the blockade of the country” seen as “the only way for the government to withdraw or modify its pension reform.” This is two points more in a week, while those who would not “understand” such a block, lose two points – by 42%. Retirees continue to block themselves against the blockades, at 56%, but said blockade is cracking: that hostility to a possible hardening of the movement effectively drops seven points.

But the fatalistic French

Therefore, the dynamics are clear. The wind blows in the sails of the opponents of the pension reform project and it is contrary to the wishes of the executive. However, 71% of the French continue to think that the pension reform announced by the government will be “voted and applied”. This resignation – still largely in the majority – however gains four points in 15 days.