BFMTV SURVEY – Finger of honor: 1 in 2 French people say they are shocked by Eric Zemmour’s gesture – BFMTV

The former polemicist is now officially a presidential candidate since Tuesday. However, less than a quarter of the French believe that he has the qualities required to be head of state.

After months of procrastination that left little room for doubt, Eric Zemmour killed the false suspense on Tuesday: the former polemicist will be a candidate for the presidential election, he formalized. An advertisement in the form of a video carrying a grim diagnosis on the current state of the country against the background of 7th symphony by Beethoven, before performing the evening at the 20 hours of TF1 that he had operated his “moult” for the supreme election.

A feeling that seems to be shared only by a small part of public opinion. According to our survey Opinion 2022, produced by Elabe for BFMTV and The Express with our partner SFR, the far-right candidate shows a rather negative image in the eyes of the French, and only 24% believe that the former journalist of the Figaro possesses the qualities necessary to don the costume of head of state.

In addition, according to our survey, 77% of people questioned think he is arrogant, 74% that he is bossy and 65% say that he worries them.

Presidency in doubt

However, 51% of those questioned believe that Eric Zemmour really wants to change things and 48% consider him dynamic, 46% courageous and 39% sincere. 33% think he has good ideas for France. Only 25% find him sympathetic and believe that he is capable of bringing the French together.

The exchange of the middle finger with a passer-by in Marseille, which took place on Saturday after a very rowdy visit to the second city in France, could have damaged the image of the now official candidate and his presidentiality. Asked about this point, survey respondents are divided, and say 52% are shocked by the gesture, and 47% do not say they are shocked.

More than half of the French place Zemmour “very to the right”

Asked about the political position of Eric Zemmour, 56% of the people making up the panel indicate to consider the ex-columnist of CNews as “very on the right”.

A figure up 13 points since a previous Elabe survey dating from September 13 and 14, 2020. Only 10% place it on the right. 18% say they do not know where to place Eric Zemmour in the political spectrum.

Little more than 1 to 2% place him on the extreme left, left, center-left, center, or center-right.

10% of French people still agree with Zemmour’s ideas

In the field of ideas, 10% of the people questioned always declare themselves in agreement with what is carried by Eric Zemmour. 36% say “from time to time, on certain subjects”, in agreement with him. Conversely, 54% “never” agree with him.

Lower figures than those collected for Marine Le Pen. Within our representative panel, 11% of people always agree with the candidate of the National Rally, 47% from time to time and 41% never.

Éric Zemmour’s ideas seem to divide opinion deeply into two poles. Asked about several sentences pronounced by Eric Zemmour during his clip announcing the candidacy, the panel formed is clearly split in two.

Thus, to the candidate’s statement that “you have the feeling that you are no longer in the country you know”, 50% agree. Regarding the phrase “immigration is not the cause of all our problems, even if it makes them all worse”, 49% agree.

25% of those questioned believe that the candidate will qualify in the second round of the presidential election.