PARIS (AP) – Things can’t get much worse for French President Francois Hollande: The economy is lagging; his new government is already under fire; and his private life has just been exposed in a ravaging book by the former first lady.
Adding to his concerns is the possibility that his chief rival – conservative Nicolas Sarkozy – will launch a political comeback this weekend.
The developments have helped push Hollande’s popularity to new record lows. Three polls released in recent days show that he has lower approval ratings than every other French president in modern times.
This week, ex-partner Valerie Trierweiler described Hollande as a mean liar in a book released seven months after they broke up, amid reports that he was having an affair with French actress Julie Gayet.
Not only did Trierweiler spread intimate details of Hollande’s infidelities, but she also depicted the Socialist leader as someone who despises the poor – a grave political sin for a left-wing leader who won election in 2012 on promises of social justice.