Presidential Poll Shows Right-Wing Polemicist Zemmour In 2nd Place

Latest poll from Harris Interactive shows right-wing TV personalist and polemicist Eric Zemmour in second place in a hypothetical first-round presidential election. The scenario in which this takes place is one where President of the Regional Council of Hautes-de-France Xavier Bertrand is the nominee for the centre-right Les Republicains (LR).

• Bertrand as LR candidate: Macron (LREM): 24% (+1), Zemmour (Ind.): 17% (+4), Le Pen (RN): 15% (-1), Bertrand (LR-EPP): 13% (-1). +/- vs. 24-27 September. Fieldwork: 1-4 October 2021. Sample size: ~1,300
• The hypothetical second round run-off poll has incumbent President Emmanuel Macron defeating Zemmour by 55% to 45%.
• The spike in polling for Zemmour could cause some concern in the Macron camp. While Zemmour's rhetoric and views may be even further to the right than those of National Rally leader Marine Le Pen, he is not 'tainted' by his association to the RN and its predecessor the Front National. Many middle-class French voters would not want to be viewed as Front supporters, but seem willing to lend their support to the independent Zemmour.