Emmanuel Macron election crisis as lead over Marine Le Pen already narrower than it was in 2017

Emmanuel Macron election crisis as lead over Marine Le Pen already narrower than it was in 2017
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Samantha Haynes

By Samantha Haynes


Published: 17/03/2022

- 13:54

Updated: 14/02/2023

- 11:10

The Ukraine war has already upended the campaign, complicating Macron's entry into the race on March 3

Emmanuel Macron will face a three-hour press conference later today in the lead-up to the first round of the presidential election in France on April 10.

The French President's polling lead is currently 12 percent over Marine Le Pen, his nearest rival.


The lead however is narrower than runoff figures for 2017, when polls showed he would win 66.1 percent to Le Pen's 33.9 percent, Politico reports.

French President Emmanuel Macron
French President Emmanuel Macron
POOL

French Member of Parliament and presidential candidate Marine Le Pen
French Member of Parliament and presidential candidate Marine Le Pen
POOL

Mr Macron is expected by pollsters to win in the runoff in April by 58 percent to his nearest rival’s 42 percent.

He announced his candidacy on March 3 and has been running his campaign during the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Ms Le Pen, French Rassemblement National (RN) party MP, is polling second to Mr Macron.

The presidential candidate, who has established documented links with Russia, has seen her support rise in recent weeks.

If Mr Macron succeeds again in the presidential election, he would be the first French leader for two decades to win a renewed term in office.

"We have not achieved everything we set out to do. There are choices that, with the experience I have gained from you, I would probably make differently," Mr Macron said in the letter announcing that he would run for a second term.

The Ukraine war has already upended the campaign, complicating Mr Macron's entry into the race.

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