France's Hollande sees little improvement in popularity rating

French President Francois Hollande's approval rating gained one point in July but remained one of the worst compared to his predecessors at the same point in their terms, a survey showed on Sunday. An ifop poll published in the weekly Journal de Dimanche showed that the Socialist leader collected 27 percent of satisfied votes, slightly up form 26 percent recorded in June. More two thirds of the respondents expressed their discontent. Plagued by unemployment which has risen above 10 percent, sluggish growth and pressure to reduce France's public deficit gap, Hollande asked the French people to judge him on his long-term bid to address the country's economic and financial problems. Ifop poll questioned 937 respondents in July 19, 20.