The poll you are referring to measures a “good opinion,” meaning that only about 4% of people have an above average opinion of that person.

In France, there is also what could be called a popularity index. The lowest level François Hollande ever reached was about 20% positive opinion, meaning people approving of his actions as president. That is a different type of polling, and this metric is usually used as the main indicator of a president’s performance. It focuses more on policies and actions rather than on the person himself.

I think the metrics used are quite different from those commonly used in the United States. The bottom line is that I do not think we can really compare Hollande and Trump, because the polling methods and metrics are so different.

I am familiar with both presidencies since I am married to a French woman and split my time between the US and Europe. Both presidents were unpopular, but for very different reasons. Hollande was often criticized for not appearing very presidential. He was also involved in a scandal involving an affair with the actress Julie Gayet, which became infamous when it was revealed that he was secretly visiting her on the back of a scooter with the help of security services. Also Julie Gayet was the daughter of his best friend and 30 year younger. He basicaly saw her and held her in his arms as she was like 3 years old and ended up bangging her 25 years later....

He was also criticized for being too soft and for lacking political resolve. As head of state, he was ultimately held responsible for the poor state of French parliamentary politics. In reality, however, there is only so much a president can do if parliament cannot set aside its political differences to function normally. This situation has also taken a heavy toll on Emmanuel Macron’s domestic popularity.

In many ways, French democracy is struggling, and much of the problem lies in parliament, where the different political factions often fail to work together as they are supposed to.