Sarkozy, Hollande Level in 1st Round Poll; Hollande Leads in 2nd

French President Nicolas Sarkozy and Socialist challenger Francois Hollande would receive the same share of votes in the first round of France’s presidential election with Hollande winning the run-off by a narrower margin than in previous surveys, a poll said.

The CSA survey for BFM TV, RMC Radio and 20 Minutes newspaper showed Hollande and Sarkozy each taking 28 percent in the first round on April 22, ahead of anti-immigrant campaigner Marine Le Pen at 16 percent, centrist Francois Bayrou with 13 percent, and anti-European Union, anti-free market Jean-Luc Melenchon at 11 percent. In the previous poll 10 days earlier, Hollande led Sarkozy 30 to 28 percent in the first round.