Le Pen 'beaten by centrist candidate' in TV debate

22 March 2017 - 09:48 By Reuters
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A Harris Interactive poll yesterday said that centrist Emmanuel Macron had been the most convincing candidate in Monday night's first French TV presidential debate, adding weight to two other polls that reached a similar conclusion.

The poll said Macron had managed to convince 38% of those who had watched the debate.

Far-right National Front leader Marine le Pen had convinced 33%, an identical score to that of far-left candidate Jean-Luc Melenchon.

Francois Fillon, the conservative candidate of The Republicans party who has been embroiled in an expenses scandal, convinced 27%. Following the TV debate, 22% expressed their desire to see Macron win the presidential election, compared to 20% for Le Pen and 18% for Fillon, the poll said.

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