In less than a week, the elections will begin in France, and just four days later the UK will also go to the polls.
Ahead of the elections, the market research company YouGov has taken the measure of the public mood in seven countries, including France and Great Britain. When it comes to the situation in the country, Great Britain tops in negativity – 80 percent of those surveyed have a very or fairly negative view of where British society is.
Almost half of all British respondents think that other Western countries are better off than themselves.
The French negative about the future
When asked whether the situation in their own country will get better, worse or remain roughly the same in the coming year, the British are, however, overtaken by the neighboring country to the south – France.
Half of all French people surveyed believe that the situation in France will be quite or much worse in the next twelve months.
In Great Britain, the corresponding figure was around 40 percent.
Extensive criticism
French President Emmanuel Macron chose to call new elections after the EU election results showed significantly weaker numbers for the president’s party than expected. Why British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak called an election on the date he did is a matter of mixed opinion.
Many were taken to bed by the sudden news about the elections and the criticism has not been long in coming. In France, Macron is accused of basically opening the door to the far-right National Rally party, and many Britons have difficulty understanding why Sunak is choosing to hold an election when support for his Labor party is at record lows.
Neither election would have had to take place in 2024 either – in France the next general election was scheduled for 2027, and in the UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak could have waited until next January at the latest to call new elections.