Advertisement

Fillon would beat Le Pen, Socialist fifth or worse - Ifop French presidential poll

Francois Fillon, member of Les Republicains political party and 2017 presidential candidate of the French centre-right, attends a visit in Chantenay-Villedieu, western France, December 1, 2016. REUTERS/Stephane Mahe

PARIS (Reuters) - French conservative presidential election candidate Francois Fillon would beat far-right leader Marine Le Pen in the second round of France's presidential election with 65 percent of the vote, according to an opinion poll published on Tuesday. The Ifop-Fiducial poll for iTele, Paris Match and Sud Radio also said that no candidate from the Socialist party would do better than a fifth placed-score. The poll was conducted among over 3,200 people questioned online between Nov. 28 and Dec. 3 as to how they would vote if next April's first round of the election was to be held on Sunday. The questions were asked after Socialist President Francois Hollande announced he would not be a candidate and before his Prime Minister Manuel Valls said he would seek election. The poll also asked how people would vote should independent candidate Emmanuel Macron come up against Le Pen in the run-off second round, and showed him winning with 62 percent of the vote. Macron, Hollande's former economy minister, is shown coming third in first round scenarios. (Reporting by Andrew Callus; Editing by Leigh Thomas)