French candidates race to claim the cost-of-living issue ahead of 2027 vote

With seven months to go before the presidential election in France, a wave of pessimism seems to be gripping voters. Only 17 percent feel hopeful, according to a poll of 13,060 registered voters released on Sunday by Ipsos France. The vast majority – 91 percent – of respondents reported negative sentiments regarding the current state of affairs, citing emotions dominated by worry, uncertainty and anger. This year, 59 percent of voters specifically said they felt worried, compared to 38 percent in 2021. “The direct consequences of these negative emotions, of this worry, is a much deeper desire for radical change than in 2022,” Ipsos director Brice Teinturier told French daily Le Monde in an interview on Monday. Voters increasingly want concrete action. And they want to see change in what arguably affects their daily lives the most – the cost of living. “What concerns voters most of all is the issue of purchasing power,” Teinturier explained. “It is economic and social issues, far more than immigration, that are of concern.” Poll puts France's Le Pen in lead as presidential campaign kicks off To display this content from YouTube, you must enable advertisement tracking and audience me...