"Valls II" leaves many unimpressed

EIGHT out of 10 French people do not believe that the economic policies of the so-called “Valls II” government will be “fair”, “clear”, or “effective”, a survey has found.

Mr Valls named his new government yesterday evening, bringing to an end more than 24 hours of media speculation that was sparked by Monday’s resignation.

But the study found that the government’s “social democratic” turn has not impressed 80% of those polled, and makes for grim reading for both the President and his Prime Minister, Le Parisien reports.

The percentage of those who want to see Francois Hollande dissolve the National Assembly has risen 11 points to 63%.

Those on the right of the political spectrum are more vociferous in their demands for a new election - 86% want Parliament dissolved, compared to 33% of Socialist voters.

But nearly six out of 10 believed that both Mr Hollande and his Prime Minister Manuel Valls were right to demand that rebel economy minister Arnaud Montebourg should leave the government.

This is the fourth government of Mr Hollande’s two-year-old presidency, and has been described as “the last chance for the president to save his five-year term” by Le Monde.

Photo: Fondapol