Desperate images by Edvard Munch

It’s not easy to be French these days.

French morale hits a new low (Telegraph)

New research sows that French moral is at its lowest ebb in two decades – minus 34 points since research began in 1987. French people’s belief that their living standards will improve has declined steadily since President Nicolas Sarkozy took office last June, and has been exacerbated by rising fuel and food prices.

But the real reasons are to be found deep in the French psyche, according to Gerard Mermet, a sociologist who publishes a highly respected study on the national state of mind every two years. “Collective pessimism is engraved in French culture. We are regularly found to be the most pessimistic nation in Europe“, he says.

In his work Francoscopie 2007, he suggests that France now suffers collectively form of “hypochondria” because it knowingly plays up its economic and social ills, while glossing over its strengths. Read more (Telegraph)

Sarkozy hits all-time low in opinion polls (Expatica)

A new poll on Wednesday showed French President Nicolas Sarkozy’s approval rating down to 41 percent, its lowest level since he took office eight months ago.

The TNS-Sofres poll showed 55 percent of respondents say they do not trust the French president, who took office on a promise to bring in sweeping reforms.

A total of 41 percent said they still trust him, even though this represented a drop from 49 percent in the last survey taken by the polling firm earlier this month.

And even the latest Asterix movie sucks… (Time)

Lamenting the weary gags and dreary chariot chases, the critics have accused the producers of dumbing down a franchise that was never exactly high quality. “A not very Gallic potion” said le Figaro. “Asterix and Obelix have been reduced to walk-ons“.