France’s Le Pen leading in new presidential polls

Elections scheduled for 2017, but dissatisfaction with current leader Francois Hollande is rife

By AFP 7 September 2014, 4:15 pm

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Far right party National Front leader Marine Le Pen poses for photographers before addressing reporters at the party's headquarters in Nanterre, west of Paris, Sunday May 25, 2014.(Photo credit: AP/Remy de la Mauviniere)

PARIS, France — French far-right leader Marine Le Pen would win the first round of presidential elections in 2017, beating Socialist incumbent Francois Hollande and any candidate from the right, an opinion poll said Friday.

But the leader of the National Front, which has gained tremendous ground this year topping municipal and European elections, would be beaten in the second round by the candidate from the center-right UMP party, be it former president Nicolas Sarkozy, or ex-prime ministers Francois Fillon or Alain Juppe, an Ifop poll for Le Figaro daily said.

Hollande, who is battling record unpopularity amid rocketing joblessness and a flat-lining economy, insisted on Friday he would not step down before the end of his term in 2017.

The Ifop poll asked voters whom they would vote for if the presidential poll was held next Sunday and 30 percent plumped for Le Pen in the first round.

Juppe came in at second place at 24 percent while Hollande garnered a measly 16 percent, meaning he would not be eligible for the second round.

If the UMP fielded Sarkozy, Le Pen would get 28 percent, compared to 25 percent for Sarkozy. But Hollande’s tally even in this scenario was unchanged at 16 percent.

The poll was conducted between September 3 and 4 online among 994 people aged 18 and above.