PARIS, Oct 22 — The hard-right political talk-show star Eric Zemmour was forecast to reach the second round of the French presidential election in a new poll published today, although President Emmanuel Macron was still forecast to win the first round.

A poll published today for Le Monde newspaper by Ipsos Sopra Steria gave Zemmour between 16-16.5 per cent of votes in the first round of next year’s election – enough to put him in the final, second-round run-off vote.

Macron was seen with 24 per cent of votes in the first round, on the assumption that Xavier Bertrand stood for the right-wing Les Republicains party, and with 28 per cent if Michel Barnier stood for Les Republicains.

The poll for Le Monde marks the second survey which has put Zemmour – whose candidacy remains unconfirmed – in the final, run-off vote of the election, following a similar forecast in a Harris Interactive poll earlier this month.

Surveys still forecast Macron as the likely, eventual winner. — Reuters