In the face of on-going recession and deepening unemployment in France, François Hollande’s commitment to deficit reduction may soon put him at odds with voters.

In the few short months since his inauguration, French President François Hollande has seen his popularity plummet in the face of poor government cohesion and continuing economic crisis. Jocelyn Evans and Gilles Ivaldi argue that the French electorate now demands more than ‘A Normal President’ in the face of anaemic economic growth and high unemployment.