Now, after just 18 months in power, he is also a very unpopular dude. The French media have been making much of the fact that Macron's prime minister, Édouard Philippe, has been slightly more popular than the president in certain polls. But really, what we are seeing is an almost perfect parallel collapse in popularity of both personalities.

That French presidents are unpopular is nothing new. However, there is a secular trend in them getting unpopular more and more quickly upon getting into office. True, Macron is not as unpopular after 18 months as was the hapless and squishy François Hollande, who could deliver on virtually none of his Socialist economic promises. However, Macron as collapsed in popularity more quickly than Nicolas Sarkozy did, who was a one-term president.