The July 2026 poll by Ifop-Fiducial for Paris Match and Sud Radio marks a sharp reversal from the positive trend observed in June: among the 49 public figures surveyed the previous month, 30 saw their ratings decline, six remained stable, and only 13 saw their ratings rise. Amid this general decline, Michel-Édouard Leclerc (53%, =) remains at the top of the rankings. He leads François Hollande (49%, +5), who jumps from eighth to second place, and Édouard Philippe (48%, +1), who is back on the podium.
The top of the rankings has been largely reshuffled. Sébastien Lecornu (47%, +1) moves up two spots to fourth place, just ahead of Jordan Bardella (47%, +4), who re-enters the Top 5. Conversely, Dominique de Villepin (46%, -2, 6th) has hit a snag after several months on the podium. The former prime minister remains well-regarded on the left but is struggling more and more on the right, which limits the growth of his approval rating.
With a 45% approval rating, European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde ranks eighth. Her standing appears particularly strong on economic issues and reassuring to right-wing and centrist voters: she garners 69% favorable ratings among LR supporters and 75% among those of Renaissance. This relatively balanced popularity gives her political potential, even if it remains uncertain how this will play out in the presidential race.
Within the centrist bloc, Édouard Philippe and Sébastien Lecornu are the main beneficiaries of this trend. Philippe has returned to the top three and remains popular among Renaissance supporters, among whom he enjoys a 95% approval rating. Conversely, Gabriel Attal (42%, down 3 points, 11th) has dropped four spots, widening the gap with Édouard Philippe from two to six points in one month. Emmanuel Macron remains stable at 33%, but continues to face very high levels of disapproval: 66% of French people say they have a negative opinion of him.
On the right, trends are mixed. Following the announcement of her candidacy, Marine Le Pen (42%, +5) posted one of the strongest gains of the month, climbing from 27th to 13th place. Bruno Retailleau (40%, -3, 17th) has slipped back after his surge in June, though he does not appear to be truly weakened. The president of Les Républicains remains strong among his core base: 73% approval among LR supporters, 53% among seniors, and 50% among retirees. He also continues to draw support from the RN electorate, where his approval rating stands at 57%. In contrast, Laurent Wauquiez (35%, -5) and François-Xavier Bellamy (30%, -5) have suffered more pronounced declines.
But the main political takeaway from this poll lies on the left, where a duel between François Hollande and Jean-Luc Mélenchon is gradually taking shape. With a five-point gain, the former president has become the top-ranked political figure. His rise is based on broad support: he garners 60% favorable ratings among all left-wing supporters, 72% among Socialist Party supporters, and 63% among Renaissance supporters. His approval rating also stands at 52% among those under 35 and 56% among 18- to 24-year-olds, showing that his resurgence is not limited to older voters.
Meanwhile, Jean-Luc Mélenchon (36%, +2) continues his upward trend. After gaining four points in June, he has risen another two points and moved up eleven spots, from 37th to 26th place. His momentum is driven primarily by young people: he has a 54% approval rating among those under 35 and a 65% approval rating among 18- to 24-year-olds. As the only potential candidate already fully engaged in campaign mode, he is also re-energizing his core base, with 98% of “La France Insoumise” supporters holding a positive opinion of him. However, this progress does not diminish his polarizing image: 61% of French people have a negative opinion of him, including 41% who have a very negative opinion.
This twofold increase stands in contrast to the decline of Raphaël Glucksmann (34%, down 5 points, 31st), who has failed to capitalize on his June 13 rally. The host of *Place publique* now finds himself trailing not only François Hollande but also Ségolène Royal (43%) and Bernard Cazeneuve (40%). While he was five points ahead of Jean-Luc Mélenchon in June, he now trails him by two points.
Finally, Éric Zemmour (27%) brings up the rear. Beyond his low approval rating, he stands out above all for the intensity of the rejection he provokes: 69% of French people say they have a negative opinion of him—the highest level in the poll—ahead of Emmanuel Macron (66%) and Jean-Luc Mélenchon (61%).
