While the centrist has been accused of being too monarchical, a poll this week showed that a large number of people would happily give up some freedoms to help fix France’s problems.
The 40-year-old has reportedly cleared his jam-packed schedule for a four-day mini break to rest ahead of a gruelling six-day tour of France to mark the First World War’s centenary next week.
Speaking to reporters in the northern fishing port of Honfleur, Mr Macron said: “Everything is fine… I am not losing grip on anything. I just value a balanced family life.”
In an effort to quash the burnout rumours, which started after Mr Macron brought forward a key cabinet meeting earlier this week, government spokesman Benjamin Griveaux said: “Like millions of French people, it can happen that the president of the Republic takes a few days off.”
Mr Macron, who famously survives on just four hours of sleep a night, has been weakened by a series of political scandals and setbacks, including a volley of high profile ministerial resignations and an embarrassing incident involving his former bodyguard.
His popularity ratings have been hit hard, dropping to record lows of around 30 per cent.
According to a YouGov poll published on Thursday, only 21 percent of French people approve of Mr Macron’s actions as president, a four-point drop from last month.
This is his lowest satisfaction rating since his landslide election 17 months ago, according to YouGov pollsters, who surveyed 1,010 people between October 24 and October 25.
In addition, some 69 percent said they “disapprove” of his actions as president, the poll for the HuffPost and CNews showed, up two percentage points in one month.
A separate poll by Kantar Sofres OnePoint for Le Figaro published on Wednesday showed similarly poor results after polling o1,000 people between October 24 and October 27: 26 percent of respondents said they trusted Mr Macron, compared with 71 percent who said they didn’t trust him.
Mr Macron has been widely accused of being an aloof and authoritative leader, while his business-friendly reforms have earned him the unflattering nickname “president of the rich”.
But an Ifop survey also published on Wednesday showed that not all French people share this blistering view of their young leader.
The poll for Ouest-France showed that 41 percent of respondents would happily hand over the reins of power to an “authoritarian political power” and relinquish some of their freedoms in order to “deeply reform” France and stop it from slipping into decline.
In addition, some 59 percent said they would agree with having an un-elected technocratic government to overcome France’s social and economic problems and push through unpopular reforms.
The Ifop poll of 1,006 people was carried out between October 16 and October 17.
France now awaits the next wave of Macron reforms, which include: financing savings to reduce the budget deficit, tackling the burdensome pension and strained public healthcare systems and reforming the constitution.