PARIS, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- A poll released Tuesday showed that seven out of ten French people have an unfavorable opinion of President Emmanuel Macron, marking a record low approval rating likely to weigh on the reform ambitions of France's youngest head of state in modern history.

Less than a quarter of respondents view the 40-year-old president favorably, down by 12 percentage points from June's survey, according to the latest survey by pollster Odoxa, commissioned by France Inter, L'Express and regional media.

The survey, conducted online on Sept. 5-6, had 1,004 respondents.

"With an overwhelming majority," all population categories thought Macron was not a good president, said Odoxa.

"He obviously is paying the high price for the Benalla affair, controversies over the Begancon swimming pool and his disastrous return after the summer break with the resignation of his two most popular ministers Nicolas Hulot and Laura Flessel," it added.

The Benalla affair refers to a scandal involving Macron's top bodyguard Alexandre Benalla, who is under investigation after he was filmed beating a May Day protester.

In May 2017, Macron won the French presidency with a landslide victory against far-right candidate Marine Le Pen.

With "The Republic on the Move," a party he created in 2016, he pledged to work for a stronger euro zone, further economic openness to strengthen the domestic economy, and create wider business opportunities for millions of unemployed people.