France's Macron says leaders shouldn't 'abandon their values' in the face of bad polls

While French President Emmanuel Macron acknowledges that he — like Prime Minister Justin Trudeau — is facing sliding poll numbers and pressure from the political right, he says this is no time for national leaders to abandon their «principles.»

In a wide-ranging interview with CBC News and Radio-Canada last week in Ottawa, before his meeting with Trudeau, Macron said «tough times» are part of the job.

«In political life, in our love life and in life in general, there are times that are not too easy. There are tough times, but that doesn't mean we have to turn our back on everything and forget about our principles and our ideas,» he told CBC News chief political correspondent Rosemary Barton and Radio-Canada parliamentary bureau chief Louis Blouin.

«Can we simply turn our backs on climate change? Would that be better? That's the debate,» he added in French. «Should we totally abandon our values? That's the debate.»

Trudeau and Macron are now the longest-serving national leaders in the G7. Both leaders are holding on to power as their poll numbers plummet. Trudeau's government faces what promises to be a series of Conservative non-confidence motions in the House of Commons, while France's elections in July delivered a hung parliament.

Macron said long-serving leaders who held office during the pandemic should not be surprised by slumping poll numbers.

«Look at all the leaders all over the place,» he said in English. «How many were present during COVID time? We are not so many. Your prime minister was elected in 2015, I was elected in 2017, so it's normal that, going through all these challenges and crisis, sometimes you have challenging times.»

A challenge from the right

Macron called a snap parliamentary election in July after