BREAKING NEWS

French trust in Hollande grows after Paris attacks

PARIS - French President Francois Hollande's popularity has jumped to its highest level in three years as voters backed his handling of the attacks that killed 130 people in Paris last month, an opinion poll showed on Tuesday.
Trust in Hollande jumped from 15 percent in November to 35 percent in December, back to a level last seen in December 2012, the TNS-Sofres One Point poll for Le Figaro daily showed.
Hollande, a Socialist elected in May 2012, has for most of his mandate been given the lowest ratings for a French president. Now he is now doing better than conservative ex-president Nicolas Sarkozy did at the same stage of his tenure.
However, a smaller jump in his approval ratings after attacks in January was short-lived, suggesting support could fade again in the longer run toward reelection in 2017.
France's unemployment rate is now above the euro zone average for the first time since 2007, according to Eurostat data, which is likely to hurt his ratings.
Besides, 63 percent of those surveyed for the December poll still say they do not trust him.
Hollande's Socialist Party, which now rules most regions as well as the country, is seen suffering huge losses in regional elections on Dec. 6 and 13, even if the defeat could be somewhat smaller than it may have feared a few weeks ago.
The survey was based on the views of 1,000 people polled at home between Nov. 26 and Nov. 28.