World News: Macron’s polling lead over Le Pen widens ahead of France’s Sunday runoff – Gulf Digital News

World News: Macron’s polling lead over Le Pen widens ahead of France’s Sunday runoff – Gulf Digital News

French President Emmanuel Macron's lead in voting intention polls widened on Tuesday but his prime minister said a Macron win in Sunday's presidential runoff vote was not guaranteed, as far-right challenger Marine Le Pen accused him of fearmongering.

Three polls for the second-round runoff put Macron at the highest level since before the first round, with an average score of 55.83%, up more than a point on Friday and up more than three points from an average of five polls just before the first round.

But Prime Minister Jean Castex it was too early to claim victory.

"The game is not done and dusted," Castex said on France Inter radio.

An Ipsos poll saw Macron winning 56.5% of the vote, up half a point from Friday and up 3.5 points from 53 on April 8, two days before the first-round vote in which Macron and Le Pen qualified for the second round.

Polls by Opinionway and Ifop, at 56% and 55% respectively, also showed Macron with his highest share of voting intentions since before the first round vote on April 10.

Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire told Europe 1 radio that Le Pen would "hand France's sovereignty to Vladimir Putin and to Russia" if she was