Macron Extends Lead Over Fillon, Nears Le Pen in French Race
- Independent candidate chalks up four endorsements in week
- Socialist Caresche, Cohn-Bendit back Macron on Le Pen risk
UBS' Baweja Says French Election Risk Is Overdone
Independent French presidential candidate Emmanuel Macron opened up his biggest lead yet over Republican Francois Fillon and began narrowing the gap with National Front leader Marine Le Pen, helped by endorsements and his rivals’ legal troubles.
Two polls published Sunday gave Macron the support of 25 percent of the French electorate going into the first round of the presidential election, two points behind Le Pen. Francois Fillon has 20 percent support according to a Kantar Sofres poll and 19 percent in an Oxoda Dentsu survey. Both surveys show Le Pen losing to either man in the second round. Both Ifop and OpinionWay daily polls Monday showed Macron the only one of the top three candidates gaining.