Saint-Denis meetings: a majority of French people see it as a useless communication operation

The successive defections will not have overcome the “major political initiative” imagined by Emmanuel Macron. After a first edition on August 30, a new meeting in Saint-Denis will be held, as agreed, on Friday. And this despite Olivier Faure's refusal to participate in "this masquerade", that of Manuel Bompard to submit to "a new monarchist exercise" and despite the boycott of Éric Ciotti, too outraged by the absence of the president of the Republic on the march against anti-Semitism. Only three opposition leaders will therefore stand up to the head of state: the ecologist Marine Tondelier, the communist Fabien Roussel and the president of the National Rally (RN) Jordan Bardella.

The presidential meeting, disdained by part of the political class, does not convince the French either. 61% perceive it as “a useless communication operation which will bring nothing concrete”. That is 8 points more than at the first meeting in Saint-Denis. Only Renaissance supporters see it as an opportunity to bring about tangible solutions (79%). They are followed by 52% of supporters of the Republicans (LR), although significantly more reserved. But with the exception of these two parties, skepticism prevails. Main opponents of the meeting, only 30% of RN voters detect any interest in it. This is less than the Insoumis, who second them with 36%.

As for whether those absent are wrong to shy away from the meeting, the French are particularly divided. A narrow majority (51%) disapproves of the non-presence of part of the opposition while 48% of the population supports this choice. However, variable geometry support. While a majority of rebellious voters (65%) and socialists (53%) support the decision of the three party leaders not to go, right-wing supporters are more critical (41%). A proportion which puts LR president Éric Ciotti more at odds with his voters than his left-wing counterparts.

The RN, one of only three opposition parties present, is also the party which obtains the greatest confidence from the French. 30% of public opinion believes in the capacity of the flame party to “propose effective solutions for the country”. Conversely, LFI is credited with only 18% confidence, slightly less than the PCF (19%). A situation which can be explained more by the discredit suffered by all political groups than by the total assent of the French to the RN's proposals. Thus, 68% of French people have no confidence in the Frontist party.

If the French express their distrust of the form, the substance of the meeting finds more favor in their eyes. With particular emphasis on institutions, the presidential meeting must review the question of broadening the scope of the referendum to social issues, such as immigration and end of life. A proposal to which 81% of the population is in favor. On the shared initiative referendum (RIP), 72% of the public wants its implementation to be made more flexible.

Despite general enthusiasm, 60% of the French still think that Emmanuel Macron will not implement this constitutional reform, in gestation since 2019, before the end of his mandate. A figure which reveals all the distrust of the population in the face of a political operation perceived as a simple communication stunt.