Hollande scrambles to defuse ‘panic at the top’

French President François Hollande's popularity was falling again in the public opinion polls in the autumn of 2015, and the Socialist Party was at risk of losing all the French regions it governed in regional elections on the 6 December 2015.

France24 reported that the regional elections were partly a dress rehearsal for the 2017 presidential election in France. They would be a key test for three likely contenders of that election:

+ the socialists of President François Hollande
+ the opposition conservatives led by his predecessor Nicolas Sarkozy
+ the far-right National Front of Marine Le Pen.

The Local.fr, 19.10.15: Don't judge our country on Air France: Hollande http://www.thelocal.fr/20151019/dont-judge-country-on-air-france-hollande

Spiegel Online International, 09.11.15: The Hapless President: Is François Hollande Re-Electable? http://www.spiegel.de/international/europe/francois-hollande-presidential-elections-2017-a-1061207.html

France24, 04.11.15: French regional elections: Far-right National Front set for strong showing http://www.france24.com/en/20151103-french-politics-hollande-sarkozy-le-pen-regional-elections-far-right-socialists

The Local.fr, 18.11.15: Sarkozy tears into Hollande after attacks http://www.thelocal.fr/20151118/sarkozy-tears-into-hollande-after-attacks

Politico, 19.11.15: In blame game, Sarkozy takes hit for police cuts http://www.politico.eu/article/french-police-failings-blamed-on-sarkozy-cuts-paris-attacks-terrorist-operation/

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