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French poll shows more approval of ex-economy minister as election approaches

Xinhua, October 20, 2016 Adjust font size:

More French voters believe former economy minister Emmanuel Macron could fix the country's financial troubles and promote more national wealth, dealing a new blow to France's current head of state Francois Hollande, a survey showed on Wednesday.

Six months ahead of the 2017 presidential election, an Elabe poll for BFMTV news channel showed that in the race for the five-year term at the Elysee Palace, Macron would garner 27 percent of votes in the first round of elections, outpacing Hollande who is expected to collect just 12 percent of the votes.

According to the pollster, followers of the Socialist Party, the ruling party in the country, further disapproved of Hollande mainly after his controversial comments on magistrates and Islam which are published in a book titled "A President Should Not Say That."

The pollster also said 57 percent of Socialist Party supporters have a good opinion about Prime Minister Manuel Valls while 59 percent of French voters said the 54-year-old head of government would make a good president.

With slumping popularity due to broken campaign promises, Hollande said he would announce his decision on whether to seek a second term by the end of 2016.

The two rounds of France's 2017 election to choose a new head of state are scheduled for April 23 and May 7. Endit