Sarkozy still ahead in French polls with week to go, but result tough to call

Sarkozy still ahead in French polls with week to go, but result tough to call

	Published : Sun, 15 Apr 2007 16:50 By : Agencies Print this Story

PARIS (Thomson Financial) - Centre-right candidate Nicolas Sarkozy is still predicted to win the French presidential election, according to opinion polls published one week before the first round of voting, but the result remains difficult to call with over a third of voters undecided and given solid support for centrist Francois Bayrou and far-right veteran Jean-Marie Le Pen.

According to the latest Ifop poll for Le Journal du Dimanche (JDD), Sarkozy would come top in the first round with 28.5 pct, ahead of Socialist Segolene Royal on 24 pct, and then win the runoff 53-47 against Royal.

A CSA-Cisco poll for Le Parisien, meanwhile, puts Sarkozy at 26 pct and Royal at 23 pct in the first round, with the centre-right contender winning by a smaller 51-49 margin in the second round.

Since the start of the year, the opinion polls have consistently put Sarkozy in the lead, followed by Royal.

However, the outcome of the presidential election is seen as uncertain, partly because of significant support for Francois Bayrou, the surprise package of the campaign, as well as well for Jean-Marie Le Pen of the National Front.

Bayrou is put at 18 pct by the JDD poll and 21 pct in Le Parisien, while Le Pen claims 13 and 15 pct respectively.

UDF party leader Bayrou's efforts to form a broad coalition have been boosted this week by calls from two senior Socialist figures, former prime minister Michel Rocard and ex-health minister Bernard Kouchner, for a second-round pact between Bayrou and Segolene Royal.

Another factor clouding the outcome of the election is the large number of undecided voters. According to the JDD poll, 37 pct of people questioned remain unsure of their choice.

The first round of the election will be held next Sunday, April 22, followed by a second-round runoff on Sunday May 6.

tfn.paris@thomson.com

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