Pension Reform Plan Bolsters Support For Le Pen

A new poll released by IFOP today appears to support suggestions that French President Emmanuel Macron's pension reform plan may be leading to increased support for Marine Le Pen's Rassemblement National (National Rally) party.

• Reuters: "According to an IFOP poll published on Monday, Le Pen was the public figure who best "embodied" opposition to the reform, with 46% of respondents saying she embodied opposition well..."
• The poll also finds that National Rally is now the most popular party in France with 35% of respondents saying that have a "good opinion" of it, compared to 28% for Macron's Renaissance party, and 34% for the Greens.
• A government minister said: "They're winning the battle of respectability and Marine Le Pen is on course to win the battle of credibility. We're not throwing enough punches."
• Reuters notes: "It is still unclear whether the changes will be approved by parliament, where Macron has no outright majority, or if the government will have to ram them through by decree using special constitutional powers. The upper house will review the reforms in coming weeks."