No Knockout Blow In Presidential Debate; Macron Retains Stable Poll Lead

Last night's presidential debate between incumbent Emmanuel Macron and right-wing Rassemblement National leader Marine Le Pen failed to deliver the coup de grâce or knockout blow that marked out the 2017 presidential debate as a turning point of the campaign.

• The lengthy 2hr45min contest saw long and bitter exchanges between the two candidates. Macron criticised Le Pen's alleged Russian links ("You're speaking to your banker when you speak to Russia") and argued that a Le Pen presidency would be divisive and lead to France's exit from the EU. Le Pen decried Macron's record on inflation, and called him a 'hypocrite' on climate change.
• A snap poll following the debate by Elabe found that 59% of respondents saw Macron as the more convincing candidate, with 39% stating Le Pen had performed better in the only debate ahead of the 24 April run-off.
• Latest daily polling continues to show Macron's lead either holding steady or increasing narrowly:
  • Ipsos-Sopra Steria poll: Macron (EC-RE): 56.5%, Le Pen (RN-ID): 43.5%. +/- vs. 17 -19 April 2022. Fieldwork: 18 - 20 April 2022. Sample size: 1,687
  • Ifop-Fiducial poll: Macron (EC-RE): 55.5% (+0.5), Le Pen (RN-ID): 44.5% (-0.5). +/- vs. 15 - 19 April. Fieldwork: 16 - 20 April 2022. Sample size: 3,008
  • Cluster17 poll: Macron (EC-RE): 55% (+1.5), Le Pen (RN-ID): 45% (-1.5). +/- vs. 17 - 18 April 2022. Fieldwork: 19 - 20 April 2022.Sample size: 2,726