Hollande popularity plumbs new low in mid-term French poll

France's President Francois Hollande tours the Societe des Arts Technologiques, an art centre in Montreal, November 4, 2014. REUTERS/Christinne Muschi

PARIS (Reuters) - Half-way into his five-year mandate the popularity of French President Francois Hollande hit a new low on Thursday, hours before the Socialist leader addresses the nation to defend his shaky record on the economy.

In the worst score for a president in modern-day polling, Hollande received a 12 percent approval rating in the monthly survey by pollster YouGov, down 15 percent from the prior month. Other recent polls have put his popularity at 13 percent.