France election: Latest polls predict fall of Macron and rise of Le Pen in regional vote

French voters will head to the polls on Sunday for local elections which are set to be a temperature check for the political trends of the nation ahead of the big clash next year in the

presidential election race between President Emmanuel Macron and the far-right chief Marine Le Pen. Candidates have been campaigning hoping to make ground - but it may be too late for many

to pick up the votes needed.

Emmanuel Macron will fight for his presidency in a year's time, but his leadership is facing a challenge this week and the French head to the polls.

The June elections will decide the political shape of the country”s regional councils for the next six years.

The elections were originally scheduled for March but were delayed due to Covid.

The first round of voting will take place on June 20, with the second round scheduled for June 27.

In total, 18 regional presidencies are at stake, of which 13 are in metropolitan France and Corsica and five more in overseas territories, including the assemblies of French Guiana and

Martinique, and the departmental council of Mayotte.

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Regional elections are an important indicator of public opinion of incumbent Governments and leadership.

President Emmanuel Macron was recently physically slapped in his face during a visit to southeast France - prompting speculation he could be facing a less than desirable outcome in the

regional elections.

These elections are the last time the French will head to the polls before the presidential election in 2022.

Previous presidents François Mitterrand, Jacques Chirac, Nicolas Sarkozy, and François Hollande all struggled in regional elections during their terms and the latest polls reveal a similar

fate could be in store for Mr Macron.

In a recent poll by OpinionWay Mr Macron’s candidates received just 13 percent of the vote, far behind the National Rally and the Conservative Les Républicains.

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A poll published on Wednesday, June 9, showed President Macron at 50 percent approval.

This was an increase of seven percentage points in a month, which was likely driven by falling Covid cases and the easing of health restrictions.

Prime Minister Jean Castex also had a 50 percent approval among those who took part in an Ifop-Fiducial poll for Paris Match and Sud Radio.

The far-left Jean-Luc Mélenchon saw his popularity plummet, dropping 40 percentage points since April 2017.

Mr Mélenchon’s approval now stands at 28 percent according to the poll.

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However, in the south of France, Marine Le Pen is hoping that her far-right party Rassemblement National (RN) party will win a regional election, boosting her chances to become president

next year.

If her party were to capture one of the 13 regions, it would be a first and would boost her chances for the 2022 Presidential Election.

A recent poll by IFOP/Fiducial for Le Figaro et LCI predicted Thierry Mariani would walk away victorious with 41 percent of vote intention in the first round.

The National Rally (RN) candidate has been ahead in opinion polls since May for both rounds of voting.

If the polls prove accurate, he may go on to become the first RN region president in Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur.

Mr Mariani looks set to defeat the outgoing president Renaud Muselier from Les Républicains (LR).

The latest polls indicate each of the following candidates will be in the lead in the first round:

In Politico’s poll of polls, Ms Le Pen is ahead in the polls as of June 14 with 27 percent support.

Mr Bertrand trailed behind in third place with 14 percent support, with Mr Melenchon at 11 percent.

Frédéric Dabi, head of the Ifop polling agency told France Info radio: “The French are emerging exhausted, drained by this health crisis, the economy, by this constant sense of unease and

uncertainty about the future.”

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