In the presidential race, Xavier Bertrand is clearly ahead of his four rivals, according to an Ifop poll for the Republicans.
Seven months before the presidential election, the right is still looking for a candidate. To see more clearly, The Republicans ordered a poll from Ifop which assesses the strengths of the five candidates already declared: Xavier Bertrand, Valérie Pécresse, Michel Barnier, Eric Ciotti and Philippe Juvin.
The results of this survey conducted among 15,000 French “right-wing” and 3,000 LR sympathizers confirm the advantage taken by Xavier Bertrand. 71% of them believe that the president of the Hauts-de-France region is best placed to qualify for the second round, ahead of Valérie Pécresse (58%) and Michel Barnier (37%).
We find the same top trio when we ask supporters of the right who would be most able to beat Emmanuel Macron or Marine Le Pen in the second round.
Rather a congress to designate the candidate
Respondents were also invited to comment on the method of appointing the right-wing candidate. 60% of those polled are in favor of a congress “in consultation with the other political parties of the right and of the center”. Only 47% of right-wing French respondents want a primary.
Primary open to all supporters of the right or internal vote? The question will be definitively decided by the members of the Republicans, this Saturday, September 25 at the end of a digital congress. The final choice of the candidate could be known on December 4.
Christian Jacob would also like to integrate an impediment procedure into the statutes of the party in order to prevent the recurrence of the 2017 scenario. At the time, François Fillon had decided to go through with the presidential campaign despite his legal problems.
