President Macron Wins French Pollsters' First `Beer Test'

(Bloomberg) -- The French aren't eager to go drinking with their political leaders, but if they had to choose one to share a beer with, it would be President Emmanuel Macron.

A total of 44 percent of the French said they'd like to share a drink with Macron, with 56 percent saying they'd rather not, according to a poll by Ifop. Next best was Prime Minister Edouard Philippe at 37 percent, with far-left opposition leader Jean-Luc Melenchon and the far-right's Marine Le Pen following at 28 percent and 25 percent, respectively.

Asked why they'd want to raise a mug with a politician, the most common answer was to check they understand how regular people live, and the subject they'd most like to discuss is their vision for the future of the country. Ifop, which partnered with Coriolink communications agency for the poll, questioned 1,009 people from Dec. 15 to 18.

The “beer test” is commonly used in the U.S. and is considered an indicator of a politician's common touch -- a Rasmussen survey in June 2016 showed more Americans would share a beer with eventual presidential election winner Donald Trump than with Hillary Clinton, even though Clinton had a clear lead in regular polling at the time.

The test has never been tried in France before, Ifop said.

To contact the reporter on this story: Gregory Viscusi in Paris at gviscusi@bloomberg.net.

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Alan Crawford at acrawford6@bloomberg.net, Ben Sills

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