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France reported 531 more deaths from coronavirus infections on Tuesday, bringing the total to 20,796, the fourth-highest tally in the world after the US, Italy and Spain. The poll, conducted by Ipsos-Sopra Steria for Cevipof, the political research centre of Paris’ Sciences Po University, found 61 percent of the French “don’t trust” Mr Macron and have doubts over his ability to help France weather the crisis. Only 39 percent expressed “trust” in Mr Macron to do the right thing. Asked whether they trusted the government to help them get through this tough time, 36 percent said they did versus 64 percent who said they did not.

Adding salt to the wound, 58 percent of respondents said they were unhappy with the government’s handling of the outbreak, up 12 percentage points in one month. Forty-two percent said they were “satisfied”.

Forty-five percent admitted feeling “anger” in the face of this epidemic, up five points in one month.

The French, long accustomed to having one of the best healthcare systems in the world, have been appalled by the rationing of critical drugs and shortage of face masks, equipment and testing kits.

In an attempt to regain public trust, Mr Macron last week acknowledged France had not been sufficiently prepared early on to face the challenges posed by the outbreak.

“This moment has revealed cracks, shortages. Like every country in the world, we have lacked gloves, hand gel, we haven’t been able to give out as many masks as we wanted to our health professionals,” he said in a televised address.