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Poll: French voters favor Macron for president in Socialist Party

Xinhua, December 24, 2016 Adjust font size:

Majority of French voters said ex-economy minister Emmanuel Macron would be the best candidate within the Socialist party for the Elysee Palace in 2017, according to a poll released on Friday.

In an Odoxa survey of Socialist party presidential candidates for France Info Radio, 55 percent of 1,015 respondents preferred Macron.

Another 39 percent said the conservative Francois Fillon would make a better president. The rest were undecided.

Macron portrayed himself as a candidate for jobs, proposing a progressive platform which "will pull France into the 21st century."

The ex-investment banker promised to further reduce France's high employment and increase workers' minimum wages by 500 euros (521.75 U.S. dollars) per year by cutting taxes on wages.

He claims he wants to raise taxes on consumption and wealthy pensioners.

Macron joined the Socialist government in August 2014. He has never had an elected post.

He disclosed his political ambition after creating his own political movement En Marche (On the Move) in April. Endit