Off the wire
• Hollywood star Mark Wahlberg to open family chain restaurants in China  • Buyers from street vendors to face punitive action in Kigali  • French shares fall on Wednesday  • Tanzania forms team of experts to assess bird flu outbreak  • Interview: China's award for Mexican institute seals legacy of agricultural cooperation  • Tanzania's largest gold mine may close down operation by December  • S. Africa inflation rises to 6.8 percent in December  • Poland, Britain discuss EU citizens' rights  • Foreign exchange rate of euro to other currencies  • Algeria urges Malians to stick on peace process after suicide attack  
You are here: 　 Home

Poll shows ex-French PM Valls losing bid to win left ticket for presidential election

Xinhua, January 19, 2017 Adjust font size:

A BVA-Salesforce poll released on Wednesday predicted former French prime minister Manuel Valls to fail to snatch his place in the presidential race after being beaten on Jan. 29 by either of his challengers, both ex-ministers in his government three years ago.

Valls, 54, is seen collecting 48 percent of vote whether against Arnaund Montebourg, ex-economy minister or Benoit Hamon, former education minister, both expected to garner 52 percent of the vote in the primary's second round.

In the first round scheduled next Sunday, 34 percent of 10,000 respondents said supporting Valls. But, he lost 10 points compared to a November survey, according to the pollster.

Valls, an advocate of pro-business ideas, has been the polls' favourite to win left ticket and challenge the conservative candidate Francois Fillon and Marine Le Pen, head of far-right National Front (FN) in 2017 presidential election.

However, he was losing momentum after two televised debates that offer a boost to Montebourg days ahead the two-round competition.

In a further upset for the Spanish born ex-premier, a youth on Tuesday caught him a light slap in the face before being seized by security guards during a campaign tour northern France.

"I'm the one targeted in this campaign, of course, because I was responsible, because I had to make tough decisions when I was interior minister and prime minister," Valls told France inter radio.

"I'm targeted because I am the one who can win. So, I will not be impressed and I will continue my campaign to win, to make the Left win," he added.

In a last chance to defend their credentials, the seven contenders vying for the Left nomination will meet for a final debate on Thursday.

Handicapped by a record low popularity of Socialist president Francois Hollande, the winner of primary elections has a little chance of making it to the run-off round of the presidential election, according to pollsters. Endit