Segolene Royal (centre), French Socialist Party presidential candidate, waves to supporters after she delivered a speech at a campaign rally in Poitiers, central France yesterday. (REUTERS)

PARIS • Far-right presidential candidate Jean-Marie Le Pen moved into third place in a new poll published yesterday, while Nicolas Sarkozy maintained a narrow lead two days ahead of France’s first round vote.

The poll by CSA-CISCO shows right-wing candidate Sarkozy with 26.5 per cent and Socialist Segolene Royal in second with 25.5 per cent. The two frontrunners each lost half a point compared to the last poll. Le Pen clocked in at 16.5 per cent to overtake centrist candidate Francois Bayrou in first round intentions to vote. Bayrou lost one point to fall to 16 per cent.

In the second round, the poll shows Royal and Sarkozy at 50 per cent each. Le Pen shocked the country when he made it to the second round in the 2002 presidential elections, but was defeated by President Chirac in the run-off.