Exclusive poll : The French express their total distrust of Macron and favor sovereignty. Public Health France is at fault on vaccination.

Massive distrust of Macron and the ruling elite : 65% of French people consider Emmanuel Macron a bad president, 56% are ashamed of him, and 56% demand his resignation, 34% of them immediately. 70% believe the government is not acting for the people, and 74% believe it is dividing the country. The mainstream media (TF1, FranceTV, BFM) are discredited (72% find them biased), and 76% denounce endemic corruption.

Economic crisis and inflation : 39% of French people report a deterioration in their financial situation, with food (58%) and energy (33%) being the main victims of inflation. Macron is held responsible by 65%, far ahead of the EU (12%) or the United States (5%).

Sovereignty on the rise : 60% support a Europe of Nations, compared to 15% for a federal Europe. 42% see the EU as a burden, and 39% consider NATO too costly. 92% want peace negotiations in Ukraine, and 64% support Trump's initiative for US-Russia talks. 42% want to reduce or stop military aid to Ukraine.

Health distrust : While 69% remain in favor of vaccination in general, 45% reject the Covid-19 vaccine, 56% deplore its side effects, and 73% its ineffectiveness. Fifty-two percent have lost confidence in vaccination because of the government's "lies." Forty-six percent want to listen to scientists like Raoult or Perronne. Regarding euthanasia, 81% are in favor, but 51% fear abuses, and 58% refuse to allow doctors to become "executors of death."

Elections : 60% would support nationalist forces. 65% believe that no political figure embodies a positive future.

Demands for Macron : The French are demanding accountability on Ukraine (referendum: 21%), his resignation (18%), the pooling of nuclear weapons (15%, 60% against), and transparency on Covid-19 vaccines (65-68% consider this crucial).

Verdict: An angry France, disillusioned with Macron, the EU and NATO, is voting for sovereignty and demanding transparency and direct democracy in the face of an elite perceived as corrupt and out of touch.

Article

A recent survey conducted by MIS Group for France-Soir and the BonSens.org non-profit among 1,200 French people, representative of the national population on the criteria of age, gender, socio-professional category and geographical area, reveals a climate of marked distrust towards the government , Emmanuel Macron, and international institutions. Conducted on May 12, 2025, this survey addresses key themes: economy, politics, health, euthanasia, and international relations. Here are the main findings.

Widespread economic dissatisfaction

The French are pessimistic about their economic situation: 39% believe it has worsened over the past six months , compared to only 9% who note an improvement. Inflation, particularly in food (58% of respondents) and energy (33%), is seen as a major burden. For 65% of respondents, French leaders, and Emmanuel Macron in particular, bear responsibility for these economic difficulties, far ahead of von der Leyen and the European Union (12%) or the United States (5%). Furthermore, 76% believe that corruption is too widespread in France, reinforcing the feeling of poor management.

Massive distrust of Macron and the government

President Macron faces overwhelming rejection: 65% of French people consider him a bad president, 56% are ashamed of him, and 60% believe he is leading the country in the wrong direction (only 4% believe he is leading it in the right direction). Furthermore, 74% believe his actions are dividing France, and 56% are calling for his resignation, 34% of whom want it immediate. This distrust extends to the government, with 67% of respondents saying they have no confidence in him and 70% believing he is not acting in the public interest.

Mainstream media (TF1, FranceTV, BFM) are not spared: 72% of French people consider them to be lacking in objectivity, and 46% support the total elimination of subsidies granted to them (34% do not agree).

A sovereignist shift and a rejection of the European Union

The poll highlights a rise in sovereignty. 60% of French people prefer a “Europe of Nations” based on trade agreements, compared to 15% who favor a federal Europe. A similar poll conducted end of April 2025 for Senator Houpert showed the following results:  

Furthermore, 42% believe that the EU exists at the expense of France, and 39% consider participation in NATO too costly. 

Internationally, 55% of respondents believe that France's influence is declining , and Russia (56%) is perceived as the main threat to national security, followed by the United States (27%) and China (20%).

Regarding the conflict in Ukraine, the French favor peace: 92% want rapid negotiations between Ukraine and Russia, and 64% support Donald Trump's initiative for direct talks between the United States and Russia. Furthermore, 42% want to reduce or stop French military aid to Ukraine, while 59% oppose a reduction in national military spending. 76% believe that the risk of a global nuclear war certainly exists or is likely. Furthermore, 53% say that France should not send weapons to countries at war.

Health: SPF gives misleading figures on vaccination

On health issues, 69% of French people say they are in favor of vaccination in general and 31% are not in favor. This figure differs significantly from the results of the Public Health France survey, whose figures date from 2023, but which were reported in the media and by SPF in a recent press release, in what borders on informational deception . Indeed, according to SPF and data dating from 2023, 83.7% of French people aged 18-75 would be in favor of vaccination. This analysis contains numerous biases, in particular on the adjustment method used, the weighting factors of which are obscure, on the opacity of the results and the dates of the survey, which vary from one document to another (2023 or 2024).

However, 52% express reservations about certain vaccines . A very marked increase since 2023, when 37% expressed reservations.

Distrust of the Covid-19 vaccine

• The COVID-19 vaccine arouses particular distrust : 45% are against it, 56% believe it causes numerous side effects, and 73% believe that vaccinated people have become ill despite everything. 39% want this vaccine to be suspended immediately (40% are against), and 50% believe that the government has mismanaged the health crisis. 
  Adherence to vaccination has therefore declined sharply since 2023, with the number of those very in favor reaching its second lowest score since the Public Health France barometer was created. The increase in those against and not at all in favor of vaccination is notable at 31%, having practically more than doubled since 2023.
• COVID vaccine effectiveness: If authorities had stated that they did not know the effectiveness of the COVID vaccine, 37% said they would not have gotten vaccinated , and 47% said they would have waited until authorities had more information before getting vaccinated. Only 17% would have gotten vaccinated without waiting.
• Adverse effects of COVID vaccines: If the authorities had declared that they were unaware of the adverse effects of the COVID vaccine, 41% would not have gone to get vaccinated, 47% would have waited, and only 13% would have gone anyway.

52% believe that " the government and its lies have made them lose confidence in vaccination .” This figure will likely be of interest to the Minister of Health, who has launched his campaign against disinformation. This is especially true since 64% believe it is unacceptable to label as anti-vaxxers people who have gone to get vaccinated against Covid and who have subsequently discovered that there were adverse effects.

Finally, 46% call for listening to independent scientists like Professors Raoult or Perronne.

On euthanasia

On the other hand, regarding euthanasia in the context of the “assisted dying” bill, 51% fear abuses, such as economic pressures or the inclusion of minors, and 58% also believe that doctors should not become executors of a “death policy”.

Electoral intentions

The poll confirms the rise of sovereignist forces. If elections were held tomorrow, 60% would be interested in political forces that prioritize national interests, 36% in those that support a reduction in support for Ukraine (23% are in favor of an increase, and 23% do not wish to answer). Finally, 35% would support political forces that support full participation in NATO missions (26% support leaving NATO, 24% do not wish to answer). 65% believe that no current political figure embodies a positive future for France.

French people's expectations of Macron

When asked about the issues they would like Emmanuel Macron to address during his televised address on TF1 on May 13, 2025, the French put a referendum on military and financial engagement in Ukraine at the top of the list (21%), followed by the question of his resignation (18%) and the pooling of nuclear weapons (15%), which 60% oppose. Transparency regarding the management of the health crisis, particularly contracts for the purchase of COVID-19 vaccines (65-68% consider this important), is also a priority.

Conclusion

This poll paints a portrait of a France gripped by doubt and distrust. Economic concerns, the rise of sovereignism, and distrust of national and international institutions dominate minds. While sovereignism capitalizes on this discontent, Emmanuel Macron and his government are at an all-time low in the confidence of the French. Calls for greater transparency, direct democracy, and a policy centered on national interests resonate as a major challenge for the executive.

Note: Charts will be added soon.

The survey was conducted by MIS Group for the Bonsens.org association and the company Shopper Union France SAS, which publishes and edits the website www.francesoir.fr . Study on the situation in France and internationally conducted on May 12, 2025, on a representative sample of the French population of 1,200 people. Quota method based on the criteria of gender, age, socio-professional category, and geographical distribution. Any survey statistically has margins of error, reduced in this case by the sample size of 1,200 people. Anyone has the right to consult the notice provided for by Article 3 of the law.