Europe’s nul-point politicians: inside the 22 May Guardian Weekly
The latest edition of the Guardian Weekly discusses the low approval ratings of several European leaders, including Keir Starmer, Friedrich Merz, and Emmanuel Macron. The article explores the reasons behind this widespread discontent, questioning whether it stems from poor leadership or challenging social and economic conditions. It also highlights the marginal popularity of other leaders like Giorgia Meloni and Pedro Sánchez in comparison to Donald Trump.
- ▪Keir Starmer's approval ratings are low, but he is still more popular than Friedrich Merz and Emmanuel Macron.
- ▪Giorgia Meloni and Pedro Sánchez have only slightly better approval ratings than Donald Trump.
- ▪The article questions whether the current crop of European leaders is particularly ineffective or if they are facing insurmountable challenges.
Opening excerpt (first ~120 words) tap to expand
The cover of the 22 May edition of the Guardian Weekly magazine. Illustration: Guardian DesignView image in fullscreenThe cover of the 22 May edition of the Guardian Weekly magazine. Illustration: Guardian DesignInside Guardian WeeklyEuropeEurope’s nul-point politicians: inside the 22 May Guardian WeeklyStarmer, Merz and Macron all at sea. Plus: Trump’s empty Chinese takeaway Get the Guardian Weekly delivered to your home addressGraham SnowdonWed 20 May 2026 13.00 EDTSharePrefer the Guardian on GoogleAfter a week like Keir Starmer just had, what could one possibly do to cheer up the beleaguered UK prime minister? (Aside from his beloved Arsenal winning the Premier League title, that is.)Perhaps remind him he’s not Friedrich Merz or Emmanuel Macron.
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Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at The Guardian — UK.
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