The new presidential nominee of France's right-wing Republican party Valérie Pécresse has surged in the polls, two surveys showed on Tuesday, with one indicating President Emmanuel Macron losing for the first time., reports FRANCE 24.
Pécresse, who is bidding to be France's first woman president, started the nominating process as a rank outsider but was picked by party members on Saturday after performing strongly in four televised debates.
While Pécresse would trail Macron in April's first round by 20 percent to his 23 percent, she would win a second run-off by 52 points to 48, the Elabe group survey published on Tuesday evening indicated.
The poll marks the first time Macron, 43, has been shown losing since campaigning started in earnest. It also underlines the threat Pécresse poses to far-right leader Marine Le Pen, who was previously seen as Macron's closest rival.
A second poll on Tuesday by the Ifop-Fiducial group showed support for Pécresse also shooting up in the first round, though at a lower 17 percent, and trailing Macron in the second round by 48 percent to 52 percent.