Strauss-Kahn tops new leader poll

PRESIDENT Sarkozy and Dominique Strauss-Kahn would beat the far-right leader Marine Le Pen in a presidential election, a new poll finds.

It follows two opinion polls earlier this week that claimed that the leader of the Front National would win the first round of the presidential elections if they were to take place today.

The two candidates with the most first-round votes go through to the second round, where a final leader is elected.

While the poll, by Ifop, also shows strong support for Marine Le Pen, she receives 21 per cent of the vote, against 29 per cent for the head of the IMF, the socialist Dominique Strauss-Kahn and President Nicolas Sarkozy on 23 per cent.

The poll, published by France Soir, also found that, were DSK not to run, the current Socialist Party leader Martine Aubry would also beat Le Pen, polling at 24 per cent; potential socialist candidate Fran�ois Hollande would also come in front at 23 per cent.

The only potential Socialist Party candidate not to beat Le Pen was S�gol�ne Royal at 19 per cent.

Support for Le Pen had risen by two per cent since Ifop's last poll in February.

Photo: Guillaume Paumier

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