Macron's popularity improving - poll

PARIS - 24 September 2017: Fewer French voters are dissatisfied with Emmanuel Macron's performance, a poll showed on Sunday, halting a recent slide in the popularity ratings of the French president in recent months.

The poll, conducted by Ifop for newspaper Le Journal du Dimanche (JDD), showed Macron’s "dissatisfaction rating" declining to 53 percent in September, from 57 percent in August.

Some 45 percent expressed satisfaction with the centrist leader - up from 40 percent in August.

The poll of 1,989 people was carried out on Sept. 15-23.

Macron's approval ratings have dropped sharply in opinion polls since his election in May, dragged down by labour reforms and planned budget cuts, including a decrease in housing aid for students.

The new poll comes as French far-left opposition party leader Jean-Luc Melenchon drew tens of thousands to a rally on Saturday against Macron's labour reforms, aiming to reinforce his credentials as Macron's strongest political opponent.