Topic analysis

Down and then out in Paris and London? Why Starmer isn’t the only one with a popularity problem

Polling data shows key European leaders—including UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz—face widespread public disapproval, with disapproval rates ranging from 65% to 76%. Analysts attribute this trend to both individual leadership missteps and structural challenges like Europe's declining global economic output, post-Ukraine energy transition pressures, and the need to enforce unpopular fiscal policies, though Denmark's Mette Frederiksen has maintained support through effective crisis management and strong economic planning.