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With just a week to go, the survey of French voters by the Democracy Institute has revealed that Emmanuel Macron has just a two point lead over his rightwing rival with 43 percent to 41 percent. However, crucially, the poll shows that 16 percent of French voters are undecided and could opt either way.<\/p>\n
More worrying for Macron is that the votes of third place far left candidate Jean-Luc Mélenchon have split evently between the two finalists with 28 percent going to Macron and 26 percent going to Le Pen.<\/p>\n
When the two faced off in 2017 Macron won almost all the far left votes.<\/p>\n
But according to the survey of 1,050 French voters, Macron is losing support over the cost of living crisis which Le Pen outpolls him in and is the top issue of concern for French voters on 54 per cent.<\/p>\n
Le Pen is gaining support among low income voters with a mere 38 percent backing Macron.<\/p>\n
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Meanwhile, Macron is relying on young voters and pensioners to get him over the line with a majority of 18- to 24-year-olds and over 65s.<\/p>\n
But the age groups between 25 and 64 favour Le Pen who has promised to stop Macron’s plans to raise the age of retirement from 62 to 65.<\/p>\n
Macron is also unable to lean on his record as a path for victory with 47 percent compared to 43 percent disapproving of his handling of the Ukraine crisis; 59 percent disapproving of his economic record; 55 percent disapproving of his overall record as President and 50 percent saying he is not a statesman.<\/p>\n
Concerningly for the international community, there appears to be support for Le Pen’s policy of leaving Nato by 45 percent to 42 percent.<\/p>\n
There is also scepticism over the war in Ukraine with 51 percent believing sanctions hurt France more than Russia.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Russia is only the third biggest threat for French voters on 20 percent behind China on 22 percent and terrorism on 33 percent.<\/p>\n
Patrick Basham, director of the Democracy Institute, said: “On Easter Sunday, French President Emmanuel Macron should pray next week is uneventful. If it is, he will be reelected. Marine Le Pen should pray for someone or something to disrupt the political week. If that happens, she probably wins the election.”<\/p>\n