Centrist in lead ahead of shootout
FRENCH centrist Emmanuel Macron is set to come out on top in the first round of France’s presidential election tomorrow as far right leader Marine Le Pen falls further behind him in an Elabe poll.
However, neither is assured a spot in the May 7 run-off round, as both conservative Francois Fillon and hard-left candidate Jean-Luc Melenchon are seen to be narrowing their leads.
Provided Mr Macron and Ms Le Pen do make it to the second round, the former economy minister was projected to win with 65 per cent against 35 per cent for Ms Le Pen, the survey for BFM TV and L’Express magazine showed yesterday.
It was conducted on Wednesday and Thursday before a shootout on Paris’ ChampsElysees avenue that left a police officer dead and was claimed by the Islamic State.
The poll found Mr Macron was set to win 24 per cent of the vote in the first round and Ms Le Pen 21.5 per cent. His score was steady from the last poll conducted three days earlier, while hers was down 1.5 percentage points.
Mr Fillon saw his score in the first round rise half a percentage point to 20 per cent.