Feb 10, 2026 - World
Europe's leaders are deeply unpopular
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U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer is fighting for his political life, rejecting calls to resign yesterday as fallout from the Epstein files threatened to bring down the British government.
Why it matters: Less than two years after the Labour Party's blowout election victory, Starmer is the most unpopular British prime minister on record, according to The Economist.
- His government is in turmoil over revelations that Peter Mandelson — the former U.S. ambassador appointed, then fired by Starmer last year — was close friends with Jeffrey Epstein.
- But the rebellion against Starmer wouldn't be so meaningful if he weren't already suffering terrible approval ratings, as the British public tires of high prices and economic stagnation.
Zoom out: New data from Morning Consult shows Starmer isn't even the most unpopular leader in Europe.
- French President Emmanuel Macron has a putrid 16% approval rating, setting the stage for the far-right National Rally to win next year's presidential election.
- German Chancellor Friedrich Merz is also deeply unpopular, reflecting Europe's broad backlash against incumbents over inflation and immigration.
What to watch: Far-right parties are leading or close to first place in the polls in Europe's four largest economies: Germany, the U.K. France and Italy.
