icon bookmark-bicon bookmarkicon cameraicon checkicon chevron downicon chevron lefticon chevron righticon chevron upicon closeicon v-compressicon downloadicon editicon v-expandicon fbicon fileicon filtericon flag ruicon full chevron downicon full chevron lefticon full chevron righticon full chevron upicon gpicon insicon mailicon moveicon-musicicon mutedicon nomutedicon okicon v-pauseicon v-playicon searchicon shareicon sign inicon sign upicon stepbackicon stepforicon swipe downicon tagicon tagsicon tgicon trashicon twicon vkicon yticon wticon fm
3 May, 2017 12:17

Most Russians want Le Pen as next French president, poll shows

Most Russians want Le Pen as next French president, poll shows

Almost two-thirds of Russians support Marine Le Pen in the current French presidential campaign, with just 8 percent preferring Emmanuel Macron as the next leader of France.

According to a recent poll conducted by Russian state-run sociological agency VTSIOM, half of all Russians are following the events of the current French presidential elections.

Just over half – 57 percent – think that the outcome of the race is important for Russia, while about 30 percent believe that the poll results will not affect their country in any significant way.

Around a quarter – 26 percent – say they support neither of the candidates who have made it into the May 7 runoff.

The head of the VTSIOM center, Valeriy Fedorov, said that the poll results were understandable and expected because National Front (FN) leader Le Pen has repeatedly spoken for the need to end the tension between Russia and the West.

The second round of the French presidential elections will see En Marche party head Macron, who claimed over 24 percent of votes in the first round, face off against right-wing Le Pen, who garnered over 21 percent of votes.

In late March this year, Le Pen visited Moscow and met Russian President Vladimir Putin. During the pair’s discussion, Putin stressed the importance of relations with France and said that despite reserving the right to meet any potential candidate, Moscow has no intention of meddling in the French presidential vote.

Podcasts
0:00
26:13
0:00
24:57