Carla Bruni a hit with French public: Poll

PARIS: French first lady Carla Bruni-Sarkozy, whose celebrity romance with President Nicolas Sarkozy sent his ratings into a tailspin, is proving a hit with the public in her new role, a poll showed on Sunday.
       
According to the CSA poll, published in Le Parisien newspaper 10 days after the former supermodel-turned-singer wowed crowds in Britain on her first state visit, nine in 10 French people see her as "elegant" and "modern."
       
Bruni-Sarkozy's immaculately turned out appearance at Sarkozy's side during their March 26-27 visit to London drew admiring comparisons to Princess Diana and Jackie Kennedy in the British press.
       
Sixty-per cent of respondents expected she would help to modernise France's image abroad, and 47 per cent that she could help to promote French culture.
       
Another 73 per cent described Bruni-Sarkozy as "nice," with an even higher figure of 74 per cent among left-wing voters, aware of the first lady's many friendships on the political left.
       
Sixty-nine per cent thought she was "intelligent" and 61 per cent "discreet" in the role of first lady, reflecting her recent efforts to cultivate a demure, classic image, far from the glamour of the catwalk.
       
But a majority of respondents, 64 per cent, warned the first lady would not improve their view of Sarkozy, whose approval ratings have been stuck under the 40-per cent mark since February.
       
A TNS-Sofres poll published in Le Figaro on Saturday showed the president's confidence rating steady at 37  per cent, with 60 per cent of respondents saying they did not trust him to solve France's problems.