How Starmer’s first year compares with his counterparts
Government net approval versus years since head of government was elected
Emmanuel Macron (French president since 2017)
Starmer’s approval is roughly the same as Macron’s
by the end of his first year. Macron’s popularity
went on to recover by the end of his first term,
but eight years in, French approval of Macron has
reached fresh lows
-14
-19
Macron
Starmer
-54
-71
Elected
2 years
4 years
6 years
8 years
Giorgia Meloni (Italian PM since 2022)
Meloni’s approval fell during her first year, but not
as sharply as Starmer’s
-4
Meloni
-14
Starmer
-29
-54
Elected
1 year on
2 years
Donald Trump (US president since 2025)
Trump’s rating has been relatively stable during his
second term
4
Trump
-12
-14
Starmer
-54
Elected
1 year on
Friedrich Merz (German chancellor since 2024)
Merz’s approval fell sharply during his first few
months, similar to Starmer’s
-14
-24
Merz
Starmer
-47
-54
Elected
1 year on
Emmanuel Macron
French president since 2017
-14
-19
Starmer’s approval is roughly the same as Macron’s by the end of his first year...
Macron
...but Macron’s went
on to improve
-54
Starmer
-71
Elected
2 years on
4 years
6 years
8 years
Giorgia Meloni
Italian PM since 2022
Meloni’s approval fell during her first year, but not as sharply as Starmer’s
-4
Meloni
-14
-29
Starmer
-54
Elected
1 year on
2 years
Friedrich Merz
German chancellor since 2025
Donald Trump
US president since 2025
4
-14
Merz’s approval fell sharply during his first few months, similar to Starmer’s
Trump
Trump’s rating has been relatively stable during his second term
-24
-12
-14
Merz
Starmer
Starmer
-47
-54
-54
Elected
1 year on
Elected
1 year on
Emmanuel Macron
French president since 2017
...though Macron’s popularity went on to recover by the end of his first term...
-14
Starmer’s approval is roughly the same as Macron’s by the end of his first year...
-19
...but eight years in, French approval of Macron has reached fresh lows
Macron
-54
Starmer
-71
Elected
2 years on
4 years
6 years
8 years
Giorgia Meloni
Italian PM since 2022
Meloni’s approval fell during her first year, but not as sharply as Starmer’s
-4
Meloni
-14
-29
Starmer
-54
Elected
1 year on
2 years
Friedrich Merz
German chancellor since 2025
Donald Trump
US president since 2025
4
-14
Merz has had a sharp fall in approval during his first few months, similar to Starmer
Trump
Trump’s approval has been relatively stable during his second term
-24
-12
-14
Merz
Starmer
Starmer
-47
-54
-54
Elected
1 year on
Elected
1 year on
Emmanuel Macron
French president since 2017
...though Macron’s popularity went on to recover by the end of his first term...
-14
Starmer’s approval is roughly the same as Macron’s by the end of his first year...
-19
...but eight years in, French approval of Macron has reached fresh lows
Macron
-54
Starmer
-71
Elected
1 year on
2 years
3 years
4 years
5 years
6 years
7 years
8 years
Friedrich Merz
German chancellor since 2025
Donald Trump
US president since 2025
Giorgia Meloni
Italian PM since 2022
4
-14
Meloni’s approval fell during her first year, but not as sharply as Starmer’s
Trump’s approval has been relatively stable during his second term
Merz has had a sharp fall in approval during his first few months, similar to Starmer
Trump
Meloni
-24
-4
-12
-14
-14
Merz
-29
Starmer
Starmer
Starmer
-47
-54
-54
-54
Elected
1 year on
2 years
Elected
1 year on
Elected
1 year on
Emmanuel Macron
French president since 2017
...though Macron’s popularity went on to recover by the end of his first term...
-14
Starmer’s approval is roughly the same as Macron’s by the end of his first year...
-19
...but eight years in, French approval of Macron has reached fresh lows
Macron
-54
Starmer
-71
Elected
1 year on
2 years
3 years
4 years
5 years
6 years
7 years
8 years
Giorgia Meloni
Italian PM since 2022
Donald Trump
US president since 2025
Friedrich Merz
German chancellor since 2025
4
-14
Meloni’s approval fell during her first year, but not as sharply as Starmer’s
Merz has had a sharp fall in approval during his first few months, similar to Starmer
Trump
-4
Trump’s approval has been relatively stable during his second term
-24
Meloni
-12
-14
-14
Merz
-29
Starmer
Starmer
Starmer
-47
-54
-54
-54
Elected
1 year on
2 years
Elected
1 year on
Elected
1 year on
Emmanuel Macron (French president since 2017)
Starmer’s approval is roughly the same as Macron’s
by the end of his first year. Macron’s popularity
went on to recover by the end of his first term,
but eight years in, French approval of Macron has
reached fresh lows
-14
-19
Macron
Starmer
-54
-71
Elected
2 years
4 years
6 years
8 years
Giorgia Meloni (Italian PM since 2022)
Meloni’s approval fell during her first year, but not
as sharply as Starmer’s
-4
Meloni
-14
Starmer
-29
-54
Elected
1 year on
2 years
Donald Trump (US president since 2025)
Trump’s rating has been relatively stable during his
second term
4
Trump
-12
-14
Starmer
-54
Elected
1 year on
Friedrich Merz (German chancellor since 2024)
Merz’s approval fell sharply during his first few
months, similar to Starmer’s
-14
-24
Merz
Starmer
-47
-54
Elected
1 year on
Emmanuel Macron
French president since 2017
-14
-19
Starmer’s approval is roughly the same as Macron’s by the end of his first year...
Macron
...but Macron’s went
on to improve
-54
Starmer
-71
Elected
2 years on
4 years
6 years
8 years
Giorgia Meloni
Italian PM since 2022
Meloni’s approval fell during her first year, but not as sharply as Starmer’s
-4
Meloni
-14
-29
Starmer
-54
Elected
1 year on
2 years
Donald Trump
US president since 2025
Friedrich Merz
German chancellor since 2025
4
-14
Merz’s approval fell sharply during his first few months, similar to Starmer’s
Trump
Trump’s rating has been relatively stable during his second term
-24
-12
-14
Merz
Starmer
Starmer
-47
-54
-54
Elected
1 year on
Elected
1 year on
Emmanuel Macron
French president since 2017
...though Macron’s popularity went on to recover by the end of his first term...
-14
Starmer’s approval is roughly the same as Macron’s by the end of his first year...
-19
...but eight years in, French approval of Macron has reached fresh lows
Macron
-54
Starmer
-71
Elected
2 years on
4 years
6 years
8 years
Giorgia Meloni
Italian PM since 2022
Meloni’s approval fell during her first year, but not as sharply as Starmer’s
-4
Meloni
-14
-29
Starmer
-54
Elected
1 year on
2 years
Donald Trump
US president since 2025
Friedrich Merz
German chancellor since 2025
4
-14
Merz has had a sharp fall in approval during his first few months, similar to Starmer
Trump
Trump’s approval has been relatively stable during his second term
-24
-12
-14
Merz
Starmer
Starmer
-47
-54
-54
Elected
1 year on
Elected
1 year on
Emmanuel Macron
French president since 2017
...though Macron’s popularity went on to recover by the end of his first term...
-14
Starmer’s approval is roughly the same as Macron’s by the end of his first year...
-19
...but eight years in, French approval of Macron has reached fresh lows
Macron
-54
Starmer
-71
Elected
1 year on
2 years
3 years
4 years
5 years
6 years
7 years
8 years
Friedrich Merz
German chancellor since 2025
Donald Trump
US president since 2025
Giorgia Meloni
Italian PM since 2022
4
-14
Meloni’s approval fell during her first year, but not as sharply as Starmer’s
Trump’s approval has been relatively stable during his second term
Merz has had a sharp fall in approval during his first few months, similar to Starmer
Trump
Meloni
-24
-4
-12
-14
-14
Merz
-29
Starmer
Starmer
Starmer
-47
-54
-54
-54
Elected
1 year on
2 years
Elected
1 year on
Elected
1 year on
Emmanuel Macron
French president since 2017
...though Macron’s popularity went on to recover by the end of his first term...
-14
Starmer’s approval is roughly the same as Macron’s by the end of his first year...
-19
...but eight years in, French approval of Macron has reached fresh lows
Macron
-54
Starmer
-71
Elected
1 year on
2 years
3 years
4 years
5 years
6 years
7 years
8 years
Giorgia Meloni
Italian PM since 2022
Friedrich Merz
German chancellor since 2025
Donald Trump
US president since 2025
4
-14
Meloni’s approval fell during her first year, but not as sharply as Starmer’s
Merz has had a sharp fall in approval during his first few months, similar to Starmer
Trump
-4
Trump’s approval has been relatively stable during his second term
-24
Meloni
-12
-14
-14
Merz
-29
Starmer
Starmer
Starmer
-47
-54
-54
-54
Elected
1 year on
Elected
1 year on
2 years
Elected
1 year on