Romain Redoutey takes the temperature of the French public to find out what they think about Barack Obama
In France, much like the rest of Europe and the world, Barack Obama quickly became a very popular figure. Flash back to the autumn of 2008, and an overwhelming 72 per cent of French people were in favor of the current US President, according to a survey from statistics institute TNS Sofres. Of course this number should be taken with the fact that the other candidate, John McCain, was considered as successor to the widely derided George W Bush, and represented a party that many compare to the far-right Front National.
Barack Obama is considered as a socialist in France, especially for his project of social security reform, which for the French people must be the responsibility of the government. His election victory was also something that all people in France – black and white, native and immigrant – could unite over. It was not surprising to see people in the streets with the American flag or T-shirts with Obama’s face or the rallying slogan of ‘Yes we can’ celebrating a new era for black people.
However, in the intervening years Obama has not responded to all of the expectations people had for his presidency, and his popularity decreased accordingly. At home, his Democratic Party lost its majority in the Senate to the Republicans, making it even more difficult to push through his reforms.
In terms of worldwide influence, Time magazine’s 2010 poll to find the world’s most influential people placed Barack Obama at 26th place, and far below French president Nicolas Sarkozy in the fifth spot and even less popular than his own wife Michelle.
In France, his receipt of the Nobel Peace Prize in 2009 for “his extraordinary efforts for the strengthening of diplomacy and international cooperation between peoples” was not well received – the comparison was widely made to Nelson Mandela, a previous winner of the same prize who’s considered to have really worked hard for his achievements.
The French were also disheartened by America’s continued presence in conflicts in the Middle East and Afghanistan, even if the purpose is for peace, as the French people don’t believe they have to be the peace guardians of the world.
In spite of the widespread affection for his wife and family, the past two-and-a-half years have made Obama himself a less attractive proposition, and the ongoing wars and financial crises doesn’t play in his favor. According to a recent survey by CNN, only 45 per cent of Americans are with their president, and in another poll by McClatchy-Marist just 44 per cent would vote for Obama in 2012.
His support hasn’t fallen as far in France, however, and with the recent elimination of Osama bin Laden there could be a significant turn-up in the books for the American.
Romain Redoutey is an intern with Metro Éireann.
