The executive branch is falling apart on the pension reform, but so are the opponents!

Odoxa Baromètre Politique Mascaret retraites pension

Once a month, Mascaret (formerly Dentsu Consulting) and its partner ODOXA offer you a Political Barometer to take the temperature of public opinion. This month: all the protagonists of the social conflict around the pension reform are losing points in the opinion, the government would be held responsible in case of aggravation.

We share with you the “Expert’s Eye” section, in which Benjamin GRANGE and Yves Censi share their analysis of social networks:

Emmanuel Macron in Barcelona during the demonstrations against the pension reform: the art of being absent to better make people talk about him?

Emmanuel Macron, whose increased media activity was already observed in the last barometer of 2022, confirms the end of his retirement: +10% again this month, for a total that almost reaches again the 3 million mentions. The most striking element was undoubtedly his trip to Barcelona, the same day of the demonstration against the pension reform: more than 250,000 mentions and ten times the commitments. On their side, the members of the government who were until then at the front fade away: -15% for Elisabeth Borne, -30% for Olivier Véran and -40% for Gérald Darmanin! It is the turn of Oliver Dussopt, Minister of Labour, to take the lead: +200% of mentions, +300% of commitments.

Le Pen and Mélenchon neck and neck to be first opponent

Opposite them, the leaders of the Rassemblement National and La France Insoumise respond to this return of the President of the Republic: the first on regal and international issues, the second on social issues and pension reform. Jean-Luc Mélenchon retains a greater echo on social networks (400,000 mentions v. 200,000 for Marine Le Pen) but also encounters difficulties: his big announcement (he will not run for president in 2027) has gathered “only” 25,000 mentions – an honorable score but below the expected shock.

In the third place, the scandals are also making their way onto the networks: a sign of an intensification of political battles?

The political staff that follows them has also experienced a difficult month, many seeing spikes in media coverage, but for the wrong reasons: Canard Enchaîné article targeting Brune Le Maire, Mediapart revelations on Éric Ciotti, Libération accusations regarding Jordan Bardella’s income tax returns, but also Adrien Quatennens, François Bayrou and a few others… Alignment of the stars? Sign of an intensification of political fights? In any case, this type of content is extremely popular on social networks – Twitter in the lead – where the emotional and outrageous reaction is a hit.

Find the full survey below or on the Odoxa website.