Macron’s updated coronavirus statistics will test French morale

On Saturday night France’s Prime Minister spoke to the French people flanked by the Health Minister, the Director General of Health (DGS) and three epidemiologists, to reassure the public that the government would be more transparent about the spread of coronavirus. Despite President Macron’s increasing media appearances in the ‘war on corona’ a 25 March opinion poll showed 90 per cent of the French public are anxious, 39 points more than on 11 March before the lockdown. Although 64 per cent claimed their morale was holding up, 56 per cent said they had lost faith in the executive’s management of the crisis.

This is very different to a poll on 28 March on the British government’s handling of the crisis, which showed it had a 72 per cent approval rating. But all governments have good and bad moments in a crisis and France is currently a week ahead of Britain in the epidemic’s curve.