[h=3]By GABRIELE PARUSSINI[/h]PARIS—French President François Hollande has gotten a political boost at home from his decision to dispatch troops to Mali, even as questions are being asked about how long those forces will be on the ground.
Mr. Hollande has drawn criticism for being indecisive in dealing with France's problems. His popularity has nose-dived as the economy stagnates. One of his nicknames is "Flanby" after a wobbly French pudding.
ReutersFrench President François Hollande's surprising decision to send French troops to Mali has drawn widespread support.
But his surprising decision to send French troops to the West African nation to fight rebel forces alongside the Malian army has drawn widespread support from his political opponents and the French public alike.
A survey released Tuesday evening by BVA Opinion showed three quarters of French people back Mr. Hollande's campaign in Mali. "Never, in the past 15 years, has a military intervention had this kind of support from the public," said Eric Bonnet, head of research at BVA.
BVA Opinion polled 1,252 people over the phone or via the Internet on Monday and Tuesday. The margin of error in the poll is 2.5%.
The pollster said that popular support has been on the increase since Friday, when French forces first joined Malian troops battling Islamist rebels.
"Mr. Hollande has made the right choice," said Pierre Méhaignerie, a center-right lawmaker. "In this case he's shown decisiveness, something he hasn't done on other issues."
But analysts warn the tide could turn quickly if the French army becomes bogged down in Mali.
"A short mission that ends with a clear victory will be beneficial for Mr. Hollande," said Stefan Collignon, a professor at Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies in Pisa, Italy. "But the longer French troops remain in Mali, the more discontent is likely to grow in France."
Appeasement on the national political arena couldn't come at a better time for Mr. Hollande, as a steep fall in approval ratings that began in the wake of his May election has turned into open discontent in recent months.
A stalled economy is quickly pushing unemployment to its highest level in more than a decade, with over 10% of the active population out of work. Forced to raise taxes to rein in public deficits, the government proposed a 75% tax bracket for top income earners, only to see the plan evaporate after France's highest constitutional authority shot it down. Mr. Hollande's proposal to legalize gay marriage and adoption has turned into another headache, with the bill meeting unexpectedly strong resistance.
While the Mali operations have earned Mr. Hollande some respite, dissent has grown among the government's leftist allies. Far-left leader Jean-Luc Mélenchon criticized Mr. Hollande's decision to dispatch troops to Africa, arguing that entering a conflict "when France's fundamental interests are not at stake is [a] questionable" choice. The Green Party, which is allied with the government, complained about Parliament not being consulted before the operations started and said the intervention should be "limited in time."
A few days into the French offensive, there are signs the Mali mission may not be as swift as Mr. Hollande would like. Despite early claims by France that its intervention had helped block the southern progression of al Qaeda militants, the Islamist rebels have conquered at least one more city.
BVA's Mr. Bonnet said the groundswell of support in France for the operation in Mali could quickly change, as has happened with support for previous French military action in Afghanistan and Libya.
A long-term involvement would expose Mr. Hollande to accusations of reviving France's dominance in Western Africa, stirring up memories of "Françafrique," a term that designated the indirect network of influence Paris held in its former colonial backyard and that Mr. Hollande had pledged to end.
"France was forced to go in before Mali collapsed, there was little time to explore all the scenarios," said Alexandre Vautravers, head of the deaprtment of international relations at the American University in Geneva. "No one can say how long this conflict will last, and what it will look like in three months if it does."
Write to Gabriele Parussini at [email protected]
Mr. Hollande has drawn criticism for being indecisive in dealing with France's problems. His popularity has nose-dived as the economy stagnates. One of his nicknames is "Flanby" after a wobbly French pudding.
ReutersFrench President François Hollande's surprising decision to send French troops to Mali has drawn widespread support.
But his surprising decision to send French troops to the West African nation to fight rebel forces alongside the Malian army has drawn widespread support from his political opponents and the French public alike.
A survey released Tuesday evening by BVA Opinion showed three quarters of French people back Mr. Hollande's campaign in Mali. "Never, in the past 15 years, has a military intervention had this kind of support from the public," said Eric Bonnet, head of research at BVA.
BVA Opinion polled 1,252 people over the phone or via the Internet on Monday and Tuesday. The margin of error in the poll is 2.5%.
The pollster said that popular support has been on the increase since Friday, when French forces first joined Malian troops battling Islamist rebels.
"Mr. Hollande has made the right choice," said Pierre Méhaignerie, a center-right lawmaker. "In this case he's shown decisiveness, something he hasn't done on other issues."
But analysts warn the tide could turn quickly if the French army becomes bogged down in Mali.
"A short mission that ends with a clear victory will be beneficial for Mr. Hollande," said Stefan Collignon, a professor at Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies in Pisa, Italy. "But the longer French troops remain in Mali, the more discontent is likely to grow in France."
Appeasement on the national political arena couldn't come at a better time for Mr. Hollande, as a steep fall in approval ratings that began in the wake of his May election has turned into open discontent in recent months.
A stalled economy is quickly pushing unemployment to its highest level in more than a decade, with over 10% of the active population out of work. Forced to raise taxes to rein in public deficits, the government proposed a 75% tax bracket for top income earners, only to see the plan evaporate after France's highest constitutional authority shot it down. Mr. Hollande's proposal to legalize gay marriage and adoption has turned into another headache, with the bill meeting unexpectedly strong resistance.
While the Mali operations have earned Mr. Hollande some respite, dissent has grown among the government's leftist allies. Far-left leader Jean-Luc Mélenchon criticized Mr. Hollande's decision to dispatch troops to Africa, arguing that entering a conflict "when France's fundamental interests are not at stake is [a] questionable" choice. The Green Party, which is allied with the government, complained about Parliament not being consulted before the operations started and said the intervention should be "limited in time."
A few days into the French offensive, there are signs the Mali mission may not be as swift as Mr. Hollande would like. Despite early claims by France that its intervention had helped block the southern progression of al Qaeda militants, the Islamist rebels have conquered at least one more city.
BVA's Mr. Bonnet said the groundswell of support in France for the operation in Mali could quickly change, as has happened with support for previous French military action in Afghanistan and Libya.
A long-term involvement would expose Mr. Hollande to accusations of reviving France's dominance in Western Africa, stirring up memories of "Françafrique," a term that designated the indirect network of influence Paris held in its former colonial backyard and that Mr. Hollande had pledged to end.
"France was forced to go in before Mali collapsed, there was little time to explore all the scenarios," said Alexandre Vautravers, head of the deaprtment of international relations at the American University in Geneva. "No one can say how long this conflict will last, and what it will look like in three months if it does."
Write to Gabriele Parussini at [email protected]