At last year's end only 1% of the French electorate could abide the thought of Jack running for a third term. When you consider the margin of error, well, even Mdme. Chirac became an uncertainty.

At the beginning of the year we thought to make fun of Jack's low standing when a 37% approval was spun into a political resurrection.

But Jack is irresistible. And his popularity is again on the up-tick. After several unfortunate down-ticks (this, this, this, this, this, this, and this for examples). The baseline for calculating Jack's political resurrection for July is 16%. And with Jack, Dom. Clutching Jack's hem, Dom has also been lifted into the upper reaches of the basement of public approval.

JACK IS ENORMOUS WITH 21% APPROVAL
The Most Advanced Sensitive Scientific Polling
Detects Evidence Of Chirac-o-mania Sweeping France!

SUPPORT UP FOR CHIRAC, DE VILLEPIN IN FRANCE

August 21, 2006 (Angus Reid/Figaro/TNS-Sofres) - More French adults are satisfied with their president, according to a poll by TNS-Sofres published in Le Figaro. 21 per cent of respondents have confidence in their Jacques Chirac to face the country’s problems, up five points since June.

Do you have confidence in president Jacques Chirac to face France’s problems?

July 2006: Confidence 21% (+5) No Confidence 77% (-4)
June 2006: Confidence 16% No Confidence 81%

Do you have confidence in prime minister Dominique de Villepin to face France’s problems?

July 2006: Confidence 22% (+5) No Confidence 75% (-4)
June 2006: Confidence 17% No Confidence 79%

Source: TNS-Sofres / Le Figaro
Methodology: Face-to-face interviews with 1,000 French adults, conducted on Jul. 26 and Jul. 27, 2006. No margin of error was provided.

Breathtaking. Jack's latest popularity gain represents a mere net loss of 16% on the start of the year. It's hard to imagine this guy ever leaving office.

PFFT (What is this?): Enormous (popularity) ½ | Near-spiritual experience of resurrection ¼ | Rayonnement français 0