French Poll Shows Le Pen's Biggest Challenger May Be Hard Left's Melenchon
Jean-Luc Melenchon has risen to 16%-17% support, while Marine Le Pen is projected to beat him in every tested second-round matchup, pollsters said.
- A Harris Interactive-Toluna poll published Monday shows Jean-Luc Melenchon, leader of France Unbowed, reaching the second round in three of five scenarios, overtaking former prime minister Edouard Philippe in the 2027 presidential race.
- Marine Le Pen of the National Rally remains the frontrunner, polling between 35 and 38 percent. With her legal ineligibility expired June 30, 2026, she is projected to defeat any opponent in the second round.
- Melenchon's support climbed to between 16 and 17 percent, up from 12 percent in April, according to the survey of more than 1,700 French adults. Philippe's support fell three points over the past month to 17 percent.
- A member of former prime minister Gabriel Attal's team noted Philippe was falling short "in his bid to act as a bulwark" against Melenchon and Le Pen. Philippe now faces close competition with Melenchon for second-round qualification.
- The findings reflect an increasingly polarized race to succeed President Emmanuel Macron, with French voters potentially facing a choice between two extremes in the second round. Candidates across the political spectrum jostle for position ahead of the election.
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French far-right leader Marine Le Pen polling at record high ahead of 2027 election
French far-right leader Marine Le Pen polling at record high ahead of 2027 election Submitted by Pauline Ertel on Mon, 08/24/2026 - 14:45 Le Pen projected to win presidency, according to survey Marine Le Pen waves to supporters after a visit at a market with Jordan Bardella, president of the far-right Rassemblement National party, in La Fleche, France, on 8 July 2026 (Benoit Tessier/Reuters) Off French far right leader and presidential candida…
Never has Jean-Luc Mélenchon reached the second round of a presidential election. A Harris Interactive-Toluna poll for M6 and RTL, however, draws, for the first time, a scenario in which the leader
A poll commissioned by television channel M6 and radio station RTL shows that left-wing populist leader Jean-Luc Mélenchon is increasing his support and could advance to the second round of the French presidential election, where he would face right-wing populist leader Marine Le Pen.
French poll shows Le Pen's biggest challenger may be hard left's Melenchon
Melenchon, the 75-year-old leader of France Unbowed (LFI), was more likely to reach the second round than centre-right former prime minister Edouard Philippe, the Harris-Interactive-Toluna poll commissioned by broadcasters M6 and RTL showed. Philippe had been widely seen as the candidate best placed to reach the run-off and challenge Le Pen in the race to succeed President Emmanuel Macron after his second term in office. Instead, the poll showe…
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- 57% of the sources are Center
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