Political landscapes across Europe are shifting rapidly, with fresh polling and party conferences revealing deep public dissatisfaction and fierce debates over immigration, leadership, and national identity. In France, President Emmanuel Macron has hit a record low in popularity, while in the UK, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s Labour Party is both consolidating support and sparking controversy as it confronts the rise of Reform UK and its leader, Nigel Farage.
According to a September 30 poll by the Odoxa institute, only 22% of French citizens rate Macron positively. An eye-popping 78% now say he is not “a good President of the Republic”—the highest level of disapproval in his eight-year tenure, as reported by Caliber.Az citing Seneweb. The poll marks a dramatic six-point drop for Macron, described by Odoxa as a “record collapse.” The French president, once seen as a centrist reformer, now faces a public more disillusioned than ever before.
Meanwhile, the political right in France is gaining ground. Figures from the far-right National Rally party, Jordan Bardella and Marine Le Pen, received favorable ratings of 37% and 36%, respectively. Their appeal now significantly outpaces Macron’s, reflecting a broader European trend of rising nationalist sentiment and frustration with incumbent governments.
Adding another twist to France’s political drama, newly appointed Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu has seen his popularity surge. The Odoxa poll gives him a 32% approval rating in September 2025—a full ten points above Macron and twelve points higher than in the previous survey. Lecornu’s rapid rise places him seventh in overall political popularity, a leap from 21st just three months prior. Still, his newfound favor comes with a dose of skepticism: a separate poll for Le Figaro and Backbone, published September 25, found that while 56% of French citizens considered Lecornu’s early performance “satisfactory,” 65% doubted his ability to form a government that meets public expectations.
Across the Channel, the UK’s political temperature is also running high. On October 1, 2025, the Labour Party conference wrapped up early, but not before Sir Keir Starmer delivered a speech that energized his party and set the stage for a fierce electoral contest with Reform UK. According to Sky News, Starmer’s address united Labour behind him as he drew a sharp line between his vision for Britain and that of Nigel Farage, framing the next election as a choice between “decency or division, renewal or decline.”
Starmer didn’t pull punches, directly criticizing Farage’s plan to deport people currently holding indefinite leave to remain in the UK. “I think that’s a very dangerous place for us to go as a country, and it goes against everything that I believe in,” Starmer said in an interview with Sky News. He described Reform UK’s policies as “racist,” but was careful to clarify that he did not believe Farage or Reform voters were inherently racist.
The rhetoric quickly escalated. Reform UK’s deputy leader, Richard Tice, accused Starmer of inciting violence against Farage, citing the prime minister’s use of the word “arms” in his speech. Tice claimed, “He literally used the words, ‘arms.’ Take up arms and attack, go for the enemy. I mean, just the most extraordinary language.” However, Sky News pointed out that Starmer’s reference was metaphorical: “We must go into that battle armed, not just with words and condemnation, but with action. And that means tackling all the problems that they prey upon.” Presenter Darren McCaffrey challenged Tice, noting that such language is common in political discourse and suggesting that Tice’s interpretation was “quite a stretch.”
The Labour conference also spotlighted rising stars within the party. New Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood was widely praised for her candid, ten-minute speech addressing tough issues head-on. As noted by panellist Luke Sullivan, “There’s no doubting Shabana is an absolute star… she gave ten minutes of telling a Labour Party audience some real difficult home truths on some really difficult issues. And she did it in a really articulate thought-through way and look, she is a talent.” Mahmood herself acknowledged political ambition, saying, “You shouldn’t believe anyone in politics who says they’re not ambitious about the top job because they’re basically lying to you.” Still, she added, “I am very happy to serve Keir Starmer.”
Immigration remains a contentious topic for both Labour and the broader UK political scene. While Starmer has openly called Reform UK’s policies “racist,” Mahmood has highlighted the need to review rules over indefinite leave to remain—an area where Labour’s rhetoric and policy reality sometimes collide. In places like Glasgow, the rise of anti-immigrant sentiment is a concern for both the Scottish National Party and the Westminster government, as the debate over housing and social pressures sometimes veers into racial stereotyping and hate.
Outside domestic politics, Starmer has been active on the international stage. Shortly after the Labour conference, he traveled to Copenhagen for a European Political Community summit scheduled for October 3, 2025. The summit comes amid heightened tensions with Moscow, following several Russian drone incursions into Polish airspace. Denmark’s Prime Minister, Mette Frederiksen, declared that Europe is currently in a “hybrid war” with Moscow. Starmer confirmed that the UK provided assistance to Denmark when drones were spotted near military bases, saying, “The prime minister [of Denmark] texted me to say, could we speak, could we help? We had a conversation, and we were able to provide some capacity to deal with the drones.”
Starmer also held calls with the crown prince of Kuwait and the sheikh of the United Arab Emirates to discuss the Gaza peace deal proposed by Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu. The UK, he said, would work “closely” with allies like Kuwait to implement the deal and agreed with UAE leaders that Hamas must accept the terms of the agreement.
On the domestic policy front, the UK government has mandated that all GP surgeries in England offer online appointment bookings from October 1, 2025. Practices must keep their digital services available from at least 8am to 6:30pm, Monday through Friday, for non-urgent appointments, medication queries, and administrative requests. While many surgeries already offer online consultations, the Department of Health and Social Care acknowledges a lack of consistency—especially in working-class areas. The British Medical Association has warned that safeguards and additional staff have not been provided, raising concerns about a “barrage of online requests.”
As both France and the UK grapple with political turbulence, leadership crises, and the challenges posed by rising nationalist movements, their leaders are being tested on every front. Whether Macron can recover from his historic unpopularity—or whether Starmer’s Labour can hold its ground against Reform UK—remains to be seen. But one thing is clear: European politics in 2025 is anything but dull.
