Emmanuel Macron Keeps Lead in Race for French Presidency

Emmanuel Macron Keeps Lead in Race for French Presidency
Fecha de publicación: 
2 May 2017
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The center-liberal candidate Emmanuel Macron is a clear favorite to win the presidential elections in France, with a comfortable lead of some 20 points over the ultra-right nominee Marine Le Pen.

If it is known that the representative of the National Front has carried out an aggressive campaign on the field, that does not seem to be reflected on vote intention showed by a survey of Ipsos/Sopra Steria, published this Tuesday in several news media.

According to the study, the young leader of the movement En Marche hoards between 57 to 63 percent of the support, while his rival has from 37 to 43 percent, having in mind the error margin.

According to the poll, Macron attracts the majority of voters who favored other candidates in the first round.

In that sense, 76 percent of socialist Benoit Hamon followers, plan to back up the center aspirant, 49 percent of those who backed conservative François Fillon and 47 percent of left-wing Jean-Luc Melenchon.

For her part, Le Pen only manages to attract 25 percent of Fillon backers, 19 percent of Melenchon's and five percent of those of Hamon.

Although Macron is in a much more favorable position, the study showed some nuances: of the total interviewed, only 20 percent really wants his victory, 40 percent will support him solely to prevent the triumph of Le Pen and 40 percent would prefer he was defeated.

On the other hand, the study asked about citizen perceptions on the two finalists and the young politician generates more confidence in the handling of European issues, the place of France in the world, the struggle against unemployment, the moralization of public life and the environment.

On Le Pen's side, she generates more confidence on the anti-immigration issues, fight against terrorism, the combat of crime and the redujction of social inequities.

As for participation, the survey indicated that only 75 percent plan on voting May 7, two points less than in the first round held on April 23.

If the forecast is confirmed, it would be the first time since the decade of 1970 that the attendance to polling stations falls from the first to the second round.

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