Key facts
- Far-left leader Jean-Luc Mélenchon is gaining ground in the French presidential election, according to a new poll.
- The poll suggests a potential runoff between Mélenchon and far-right frontrunner Marine Le Pen.
- Le Pen leads all tested scenarios with 35% of the vote.
- In a scenario with three centrist candidates, Mélenchon would secure 16% of the vote.
- Édouard Philippe and Gabriel Attal are also potential centrist candidates in the race.
A poll released Monday indicates that far-left leader Jean-Luc Mélenchon is gaining momentum in the French presidential election, increasing the possibility of a runoff against far-right frontrunner Marine Le Pen. This scenario, described as a "nightmare scenario" by some, raises concerns about a contest between candidates with deeply skeptical views of the European Union and NATO.
The survey, conducted by Toluna Harris Interactive for M6 and RTL, showed Le Pen leading significantly in all tested scenarios, with at least a 16-point advantage over her closest competitor. In one scenario featuring three centrist candidates, Mélenchon is projected to receive 16% of the vote, surpassing former prime ministers Édouard Philippe (14%) and Gabriel Attal (8%). Le Pen leads this scenario with 35% of the vote.
If Attal were not in the race, the poll suggests Mélenchon and Philippe would be tied for second place with 17% each. Political moderates have expressed concern for weeks that a crowded field of centrist candidates could inadvertently cede the election to the political extremes. Government spokesperson Maud Bregeon, who backs Philippe, stated that the likelihood of a Le Pen-Mélenchon face-off has increased.