Hollande's approval ratings climb off rock bottom

President Francois Hollande's approval rating has risen, but the vast majority of French voters remain unhappy with his performance, casting doubt on his re-election chances, said an opinion poll published on Saturday. The Opinionway survey in Le Figaro newspaper said 20 percent of voters approved of Hollande, five points up from the last such poll in October. However, three years after taking office, some 79 percent said they were dissatisfied with the president.
Hollande's ratings fell to record lows for a French head of state last year, hitting 13 percent in one September survey. His standing was given a boost by his handling of Islamist militant attacks in Paris in January, but he still has a long way to go before he can aspire to winning a second term in office at elections due in 2017.