Hollande popularity slides as French economy wanes

France's President Francois Hollande delivers a speech after he visited the local gendarme building in Pierrefeu-du-Var, southern France, August 14, 2012. REUTERS/Philippe Laurenson

PARIS (Reuters) - France's Socialist President Francois Hollande raised expectations he would revive the economy and stem soaring unemployment during his election campaign, but tumbling opinion poll scores show the public is losing patience.

Hollande's approval rating has slid to 44 percent in one poll from above 60 percent in May when he took over from the unpopular Nicolas Sarkozy. A second survey shows 72 percent of voters feel he is acting too slowly to resolve their problems.