Voters Twice More Likely to Choose Macron for President Than Socialist Hamon

Half of French voters from left-wing will support independent candidate Emmanuel Macron during the presidential elections, according to a survey.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Half of French voters seem inclined to choose independent Emmanuel Macron as president rather than Socialist Party (PS) candidate Benoit Hamon, whom only 21 percent say would back, a new poll by Odoxa showed on Friday.

According to the poll, the leader of left-wing political movement La France Insoumise (Unsubmissive France), Jean-Luc Melenchon, would receive 23 percent of the potential votes and thus come ahead of Hamon.

The poll, comparing the left, as it is represented in the French presidential election, showed that 59 percent of the respondents found Hamon likable, the same number of them thought that he had deep convictions, and 63 percent thought that he represented the left well.

The survey also indicated that 54 percent of the supporters of the left saw supporting Macron rather than Hamon more "pragmatic."

The poll was carried out on March 8-9 among 1,006 people aged over 18, with 280 of them supporting the left.

Macron served as the minister of the economy, industry and digital affairs in incumbent President Francois Hollande's socialist government in 2014-2016, but left in order to start working on his presidential campaign. He established the "En Marche!" movement which he said would welcome supporters of all political parties.