Confidence in Hollande tumbles to 33%: Poll

Paris, July 18: Few French people expressed positive opinions about President Francois Hollande's ability to preserve calm at home after the truck attack in Nice on July 14 despite intensified security measures imposed since last year's assaults, a poll showed on Monday.

Confidence in the Socialist leader to win the battle against terrorism tumbled to 33 per cent of favourable opinions, down 19 points from support ratings reported after last year's two deadly attacks in January and November, Xinhua news agency cited ifop poll for the right-wing daily Le Figaro as saying.

In a further sign of growing public anger over the government's failed security policy to guarantee people's safety, a packed crowd gathering at la Promenade des Anglais in Nice to mourn the 84 people killed last Thursday night jeered at Prime Minister Manuel Valls who joined the mass to observe a one-minute silence.

Video broadcast by BFMTV news channel showed the crowd shouting "Criminals" and "Resignation".

The attack committed by a 31-year-old Tunisian-origin man fuelled criticism over the government's ability to face the terror challenge.

IANS