Sarkozy's approval rating hits new low

Battered by economic crisis, French President Nicolas Sarkozy's approval rating has collapsed to its lowest level since he came to power 21 months ago, according to a poll released Monday.

Battered by economic crisis, French President Nicolas Sarkozy's approval rating has collapsed to its lowest level since he came to power 21 months ago, according to a poll released Monday.

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Only 36 percent of French voters think he is doing a good job, down eight points on his score from last month, said the study conducted by the Ipsos polling agency for the weekly Le Point.

Just six percent of respondents had a "very positive" view of Sarkozy.

Prime Minister Francois Fillon's numbers are also down, although with a 42 percent approval rating, he remains ahead of his boss.

Last month more than a million French workers went on strike to protest against Sarkozy's decision to respond to the slump by pumping billions into banks and industry rather than into consumers' pockets.

Ipsos' pollsters interviewed 940 adults by telephone between February 6 and 7, using a quota method to ensure a fair socio-economic spread. Full results are to be published in Le Point on Thursday.