French voters are being deluged with false stories on social media ahead of the country&#39;s presidential election, though the onslaught of &quot;junk news&quot; is not as severe as that during last year&#39;s US&nbsp;presidential campaign, according to a study by Oxford University researchers.

The study to be published Friday and another published on Wednesday add evidence to complaints by officials in France, Germany and the United States that Russia is trying to replicate its cyber-powered election meddling in American politics.

Just days before France votes in the first round of a presidential election, the study said misinformation at times has accounted for one-quarter of the political links shared on Twitter in France. It defined &quot;junk news&quot; as deliberately false stories and those expressing &quot;ideologically extreme, hyper-partisan or conspiratorial&quot; views with logical flaws and opinions passed along as facts.

&quot;French voters are sharing better quality information than what many US&nbsp;voters shared and almost as much quality news and information as German users share,&quot; according to the study by the Oxford Internet Institute, which will be published on Friday but was made available on Thursday to Reuters.

The French study uses data from a recent week on Twitter but a greater role is being played by Facebook, said Kevin Limonier of the University of Paris VIII, who is studying social media manipulation in the election with a grant from the French government.

Facebook recently suspended 30,000 suspected automated accounts in France. Although it characterised the cleanup as an objective move against spamming, many of the profiles were distributing politically driven misinformation and propaganda.

On Twitter, where automated accounts are allowed, many of the same accounts that promoted Republican Donald Trump in the US&nbsp;campaign last year have turned their attention to pushing conspiracy theories and far-right viewpoints, according to Limonier and Clinton Watts, a former FBI agent and now a senior fellow at the George Washington University Center for Cyber and Homeland Security.

&nbsp;

RUSSIA SHIFTS FOCUS TO GERMANY

&quot;A contingent of the Trump campaign supporters we believe to be &#39;bots&#39; and accounts from Russia have shifted to Germany,&rdquo; Watts said. &quot;If I had to estimate, about one-third of previous Trump supporter accounts are now trying to influence the German election.&quot;

Another study published this week from the private research group Bakamo showed a similar percentage of fake news versus real news on social media in France as that found by the Oxford researchers. Much of the fake news came from sources that were &quot;exposed to Russian influence,&quot; the Bakamo study said.

The Oxford researchers say their study of social media traffic in the days before the US&nbsp;presidential election last November showed that Michigan voters shared an equal amount of genuine and fake news with each other.

By contrast, in the days leading up to the less divisive German presidential election in February, the Oxford study &quot;found Germans sharing four professionally produced news stories for every one piece of junk.&quot;

&quot;All in all, US&nbsp;voters were sharing very poor quality news and information about major public policy debates at a critical time before a national election,&quot; Philip Howard, director of the Oxford Institute said. &quot;Both German and French voters are sharing much smaller amounts of junk news.&quot;

Before he left office in January, President Barack Obama said sharp political divisions made the United States particularly vulnerable to foreign influence and information warfare. US&nbsp;intelligence agencies have concluded that the Russian government interfered in the election to help Trump win.

The Oxford Institute said that while the biggest proportion of postings in France concerned moderate candidate Emmanuel Macron, who has done well in polls, &quot;highly automated accounts&quot; have &quot;occasionally generated large amounts of traffic about&quot; conservative Francois Fillon.

(Reuters)

The study to be published Friday adds evidence that Russia is trying to replicate its cyber-powered election meddling in American politics

French voters are being deluged with false stories on social media ahead of the country's presidential election, though the onslaught of "junk news" is not as severe as that during last year's US presidential campaign, according to a study by Oxford University researchers. The study to be published Friday and another published on Wednesday add evidence to complaints by officials in France, Germany and the United States that Russia is trying to replicate its cyber-powered election meddling in American politics. Just days before France votes in the first round of a presidential election, the study said misinformation at times has accounted for one-quarter of the political links shared on Twitter in France. It defined "junk news" as deliberately false stories and those expressing "ideologically extreme, hyper-partisan or conspiratorial" views with logical flaws and opinions passed along as facts. "French voters are sharing better quality information than what many US voters shared and almost as much quality news and information as German users share," according to the study by the Oxford Internet Institute, which will be published on Friday but was made available on Thursday to Reuters. The French study uses data from a recent week on Twitter but a greater role is being played by Facebook, said Kevin Limonier of the University of Paris VIII, who is studying social media manipulation in the election with a grant from the French government. Facebook recently suspended 30,000 suspected automated accounts in France. Although it characterised the cleanup as an objective move against spamming, many of the profiles were distributing politically driven misinformation and propaganda. On Twitter, where automated accounts are allowed, many of the same accounts that promoted Republican Donald Trump in the US campaign last year have turned their attention to pushing conspiracy theories and far-right viewpoints, according to Limonier and Clinton Watts, a former FBI agent and now a senior fellow at the George Washington University Center for Cyber and Homeland Security. RUSSIA SHIFTS FOCUS TO GERMANY "A contingent of the Trump campaign supporters we believe to be 'bots' and accounts from Russia have shifted to Germany,” Watts said. "If I had to estimate, about one-third of previous Trump supporter accounts are now trying to influence the German election." Another study published this week from the private research group Bakamo showed a similar percentage of fake news versus real news on social media in France as that found by the Oxford researchers. Much of the fake news came from sources that were "exposed to Russian influence," the Bakamo study said. The Oxford researchers say their study of social media traffic in the days before the US presidential election last November showed that Michigan voters shared an equal amount of genuine and fake news with each other. By contrast, in the days leading up to the less divisive German presidential election in February, the Oxford study "found Germans sharing four professionally produced news stories for every one piece of junk." "All in all, US voters were sharing very poor quality news and information about major public policy debates at a critical time before a national election," Philip Howard, director of the Oxford Institute said. "Both German and French voters are sharing much smaller amounts of junk news." Before he left office in January, President Barack Obama said sharp political divisions made the United States particularly vulnerable to foreign influence and information warfare. US intelligence agencies have concluded that the Russian government interfered in the election to help Trump win. The Oxford Institute said that while the biggest proportion of postings in France concerned moderate candidate Emmanuel Macron, who has done well in polls, "highly automated accounts" have "occasionally generated large amounts of traffic about" conservative Francois Fillon. (Reuters)

Automated accounts sharing fake news ahead of French election, experts say

Two of the outside contenders in France&#39;s presidential election, Francois Fillon and Jean-Luc Melenchon, whipped up support with mass rallies on Sunday, seeking a last-gasp boost ahead of an increasingly tight first voting round.

For weeks, polls have shown centrist Emmanuel Macron and far-right leader Marine Le Pen on track to top the first round of voting on April 23 and go through to a May 7 runoff.

But recent polls have shown the race tightening as the front-runners faltered and far-left maverick Melenchon surged after strong performances in two televised candidates&#39; debates.

A Kantar Sofres poll for media organisations Le Figaro, LCI and RTL showed Macron and Le Pen tied on 24 per cent in the first round, with Melenchon taking third place for the first time on 18 per cent, up six points since mid-March.

That put him a point ahead of conservative candidate Fillon, whose campaign has struggled as he seeks to defend himself from nepotism allegations.

Speaking at a big rally in the southern port city of Marseille, veteran Communist-backed candidate Melenchon sounded full of confidence.

&quot;We can hear it. We can feel it. Victory is within our reach,&quot; said Melenchon, who aims to take France out of NATO and also hold a referendum on EU membership.

Organisers said 70,000 people gathered in Marseille&#39;s Old Port district to hear Melenchon.

Fillon too is still hoping for an upset.

&quot;There is still everything to play for. The days ahead of us will be decisive,&quot; Fillon told cheering supporters waving the blue, white and red national flag at a show of strength in Paris, which according to organisers drew over 20,000 people.

There were no independent estimates of the crowd sizes.

Fillon, 63, was an early frontrunner to win the election but his bid faltered following allegations that he had paid his wife and two of his five children hundreds of thousands of euros of public money for minimal work. He denies any wrongdoing.

&quot;I&#39;m not asking you to like me. I&#39;m asking you to back me, because this is about what&#39;s best for France,&quot; Fillon said.

With one in three French voters still undecided, there is a chance of a first-round surprise.

Even some of Fillon&#39;s supporters admit the campaign has been nerve-racking, though many at the Paris meeting said they didn&#39;t trust the polls.

&quot;There were moments when we were really worried,&quot; said Raymond Spreder, 72, a retired builder from the Vosges region who has travelled to several rallies with his wife.

&quot;But he&#39;s done well considering everything that&#39;s been thrown at him. He&#39;s the most solid candidate, it&#39;s his policies that we like,&quot; he said.

Melenchon, a former Trotskyist, was a wildcard until his spirited performances in two televised debates strengthened his campaign and helped him leech support from the Socialist candidate, Benoit Hamon.

In the 2012 presidential election, Melenchon&#39;s insurgent campaign and firebrand style also drew crowds and favourable opinion in polls, but he fell short in the end with 11 per cent of the vote.

Macron, a pro-European former economy minister, aims to transcend the traditional left-right divide in French politics and reduce public spending and taxes.

If he reaches the second round, all polls predict he would easily beat Le Pen, whose plans to ditch the euro and hold a referendum on EU membership have spooked many investors.

(Reuters)

'We can hear it. We can feel it. Victory is within our reach,' said Melenchon, who aims to remove France from NATO and hold an EU referendum

Two of the outside contenders in France's presidential election, Francois Fillon and Jean-Luc Melenchon, whipped up support with mass rallies on Sunday, seeking a last-gasp boost ahead of an increasingly tight first voting round. For weeks, polls have shown centrist Emmanuel Macron and far-right leader Marine Le Pen on track to top the first round of voting on April 23 and go through to a May 7 runoff. But recent polls have shown the race tightening as the front-runners faltered and far-left maverick Melenchon surged after strong performances in two televised candidates' debates. A Kantar Sofres poll for media organisations Le Figaro, LCI and RTL showed Macron and Le Pen tied on 24 per cent in the first round, with Melenchon taking third place for the first time on 18 per cent, up six points since mid-March. That put him a point ahead of conservative candidate Fillon, whose campaign has struggled as he seeks to defend himself from nepotism allegations. Speaking at a big rally in the southern port city of Marseille, veteran Communist-backed candidate Melenchon sounded full of confidence. "We can hear it. We can feel it. Victory is within our reach," said Melenchon, who aims to take France out of NATO and also hold a referendum on EU membership. Organisers said 70,000 people gathered in Marseille's Old Port district to hear Melenchon. Fillon too is still hoping for an upset. "There is still everything to play for. The days ahead of us will be decisive," Fillon told cheering supporters waving the blue, white and red national flag at a show of strength in Paris, which according to organisers drew over 20,000 people. There were no independent estimates of the crowd sizes. Fillon, 63, was an early frontrunner to win the election but his bid faltered following allegations that he had paid his wife and two of his five children hundreds of thousands of euros of public money for minimal work. He denies any wrongdoing. "I'm not asking you to like me. I'm asking you to back me, because this is about what's best for France," Fillon said. With one in three French voters still undecided, there is a chance of a first-round surprise. Even some of Fillon's supporters admit the campaign has been nerve-racking, though many at the Paris meeting said they didn't trust the polls. "There were moments when we were really worried," said Raymond Spreder, 72, a retired builder from the Vosges region who has travelled to several rallies with his wife. "But he's done well considering everything that's been thrown at him. He's the most solid candidate, it's his policies that we like," he said. Melenchon, a former Trotskyist, was a wildcard until his spirited performances in two televised debates strengthened his campaign and helped him leech support from the Socialist candidate, Benoit Hamon. In the 2012 presidential election, Melenchon's insurgent campaign and firebrand style also drew crowds and favourable opinion in polls, but he fell short in the end with 11 per cent of the vote. Macron, a pro-European former economy minister, aims to transcend the traditional left-right divide in French politics and reduce public spending and taxes. If he reaches the second round, all polls predict he would easily beat Le Pen, whose plans to ditch the euro and hold a referendum on EU membership have spooked many investors. (Reuters)

Fillon, Melenchon seek last-gasp boost in French presidential election

French presidential frontrunner Emmanuel Macron attacked far-right leader Marine Le Pen over her economic policy and plans to scrap the euro on Tuesday in an unprecedented debate between all 11 contenders ahead of this month&#39;s election.

The televised debate was at times chaotic and often dominated by the anti-capitalist and virulently anti-EU smaller candidates who made their first major appearance ahead of the first round of the two-stage vote on April 23.&nbsp;

The most telling clash between the frontrunners came at the end of the first section when 39-year-old Macron took on what is considered one of Le Pen&#39;s vulnerabilities -- her plans to scrap the euro and revert to the franc.

&quot;What you are proposing, Madame Le Pen, is a reduction in French people&#39;s spending power because, by withdrawing from the euro, for savers, workers, it&#39;s a reduction in spending power,&quot; he said.

Polls show only a third of French voters support scrapping the euro, many of them anxious about the impact of a devaluation which would hit their savings and spur inflation.

Macron, taking a more aggressive approach than in a first debate on March 20, accused her of wanting to start an &quot;economic war&quot; with France&#39;s neighbours and denounced nationalism in Europe, which had torn the continent apart and filled graveyards near his hometown Amiens in northeast France.

When Le Pen, 48, replied that Macron was defending the EU by reverting to &quot;old classics&quot; of 50 years ago about Europe&#39;s peace-keeping record, Macron retorted with a rare attack on her father, former far-right leader Jean-Marie Le Pen.

&quot;You are repeating the lies that we&#39;ve heard for 40 years and that we heard from the mouth of your father,&quot; he said.

With just 19 days until the first round of voting in a rollercoaster contest, the debate could influence the momentum of the campaign, with around a third of voters still unsure of how they will vote.&nbsp;

Polls show far-right candidate Le Pen and centrist independent Macron in a dead heat at around 25 per cent heading into the first round on April 23. Macron is seen easily winning the second round on May 7.

&#39;Unfettered globalisation&#39;&nbsp;

Le Pen put in a steady performance under fire, warning about the closure of factories, and the danger of Islamists and immigrants eroding France&#39;s national identity.

&quot;I consider that in this election our civilisation is at stake,&quot; she said at the start of the debate, promising to restore order and combat &quot;unfettered globalisation&quot;.

When questioned about legal problems surrounding her National Front party including campaign financing and the use of expenses at the European parliament, she said she considered herself to be &quot;politically persecuted&quot;.&nbsp;

Socialist candidate Benoit Hamon scoffed at her defence, saying it was &quot;amusing to see you playing the victim while spending your time attacking immigrants&quot;.

One candidate who needed to shine was conservative Francois Fillon, who is seeking to claw back ground after his campaign was almost derailed by criminal charges over claims he paid his wife hundreds of thousands of euros for fake parliamentary jobs.

Unlike the first debate, Tuesday&#39;s featured all of the candidates and not just the top five, prompting fears it could become unwieldy.

They included autoworker Philippe Poutou, who proposed the expropriation of the French banking system, and Communist firebrand Nathalie Arthaud who vowed to protect French workers from being &quot;strangled by the capitalist system&quot;.

Other anti-EU nationalists such as Francois Asselineau, Nicolas Dupont-Aignan and Jacques Cheminade, as well as farmer-politician Jean Lassalle, had a rare showcase on the national stage.

&#39;Race to the bottom&#39;?&nbsp;

It was the first time that all candidates had debated before the first round of a presidential election in France with many observers sceptical about whether the format would help inform voters.

Writing in Le Monde before the debate, Michel Noblecourt, noted that President Francois Hollande -- who decided in December not to seek re-election -- warned that the &quot;dangerous&quot; innovation in French politics risked &quot;a race to the bottom&quot;.

&quot;The non-candidate president was perhaps not wrong,&quot; Noblecourt said.

An editorial in Le Figaro also said &quot;it is not certain that at the end of this unique debate voters will be more enlightened&quot;.

The final result of an election that is being watched closely around the world is still seen as highly unpredictable.

Dissatisfaction and outright hostility towards mainstream politics is high in France and surveys show around a third of voters plan to abstain.

(AFP)

Polls show far-right candidate Le Pen and centrist independent Macron in a dead heat

French presidential frontrunner Emmanuel Macron attacked far-right leader Marine Le Pen over her economic policy and plans to scrap the euro on Tuesday in an unprecedented debate between all 11 contenders ahead of this month's election. The televised debate was at times chaotic and often dominated by the anti-capitalist and virulently anti-EU smaller candidates who made their first major appearance ahead of the first round of the two-stage vote on April 23. The most telling clash between the frontrunners came at the end of the first section when 39-year-old Macron took on what is considered one of Le Pen's vulnerabilities -- her plans to scrap the euro and revert to the franc. "What you are proposing, Madame Le Pen, is a reduction in French people's spending power because, by withdrawing from the euro, for savers, workers, it's a reduction in spending power," he said. Polls show only a third of French voters support scrapping the euro, many of them anxious about the impact of a devaluation which would hit their savings and spur inflation. Macron, taking a more aggressive approach than in a first debate on March 20, accused her of wanting to start an "economic war" with France's neighbours and denounced nationalism in Europe, which had torn the continent apart and filled graveyards near his hometown Amiens in northeast France. When Le Pen, 48, replied that Macron was defending the EU by reverting to "old classics" of 50 years ago about Europe's peace-keeping record, Macron retorted with a rare attack on her father, former far-right leader Jean-Marie Le Pen. "You are repeating the lies that we've heard for 40 years and that we heard from the mouth of your father," he said. With just 19 days until the first round of voting in a rollercoaster contest, the debate could influence the momentum of the campaign, with around a third of voters still unsure of how they will vote. Polls show far-right candidate Le Pen and centrist independent Macron in a dead heat at around 25 per cent heading into the first round on April 23. Macron is seen easily winning the second round on May 7. 'Unfettered globalisation' Le Pen put in a steady performance under fire, warning about the closure of factories, and the danger of Islamists and immigrants eroding France's national identity. "I consider that in this election our civilisation is at stake," she said at the start of the debate, promising to restore order and combat "unfettered globalisation". When questioned about legal problems surrounding her National Front party including campaign financing and the use of expenses at the European parliament, she said she considered herself to be "politically persecuted". Socialist candidate Benoit Hamon scoffed at her defence, saying it was "amusing to see you playing the victim while spending your time attacking immigrants". One candidate who needed to shine was conservative Francois Fillon, who is seeking to claw back ground after his campaign was almost derailed by criminal charges over claims he paid his wife hundreds of thousands of euros for fake parliamentary jobs. Unlike the first debate, Tuesday's featured all of the candidates and not just the top five, prompting fears it could become unwieldy. They included autoworker Philippe Poutou, who proposed the expropriation of the French banking system, and Communist firebrand Nathalie Arthaud who vowed to protect French workers from being "strangled by the capitalist system". Other anti-EU nationalists such as Francois Asselineau, Nicolas Dupont-Aignan and Jacques Cheminade, as well as farmer-politician Jean Lassalle, had a rare showcase on the national stage. 'Race to the bottom'? It was the first time that all candidates had debated before the first round of a presidential election in France with many observers sceptical about whether the format would help inform voters. Writing in Le Monde before the debate, Michel Noblecourt, noted that President Francois Hollande -- who decided in December not to seek re-election -- warned that the "dangerous" innovation in French politics risked "a race to the bottom". "The non-candidate president was perhaps not wrong," Noblecourt said. An editorial in Le Figaro also said "it is not certain that at the end of this unique debate voters will be more enlightened". The final result of an election that is being watched closely around the world is still seen as highly unpredictable. Dissatisfaction and outright hostility towards mainstream politics is high in France and surveys show around a third of voters plan to abstain. (AFP)

French election 2017: Macron attacks Le Pen on economic policy

Firebrand leftist Jean-Luc Melenchon was found the most convincing performer by French viewers of Tuesday night&#39;s televised debate among the 11 candidates running in this month&#39;s presidential election, a snap poll showed.

The poll by Elabe for BFM TV said Melenchon had managed to convince 25 per cent of those who had watched the four-hour long debate. Some 21 per cent found centrist Emmanuel Macron as the most convincing, the second best score.

Far-right leader Marine Le Pen came in fourth behind conservative Francois Fillon, with 11 per cent and 15 per cent respectively.

However, Macron was seen in the same poll as having the best program of all the candidates by 23 per cent of viewers, followed by Melenchon with 22 per cent and Fillon with 18 per cent.

The two leading candidates, Macron and Le Pen, clashed sharply over Europe during the debate.

Voting in the first round of the election is set for April 23 with a runoff between the two leading candidates on May 7.

(Reuters)

Jean-Luc Melenchon managed to convince 25% of the viewers, followed by Macron, Fillon and Le Pen

Firebrand leftist Jean-Luc Melenchon was found the most convincing performer by French viewers of Tuesday night's televised debate among the 11 candidates running in this month's presidential election, a snap poll showed. The poll by Elabe for BFM TV said Melenchon had managed to convince 25 per cent of those who had watched the four-hour long debate. Some 21 per cent found centrist Emmanuel Macron as the most convincing, the second best score. Far-right leader Marine Le Pen came in fourth behind conservative Francois Fillon, with 11 per cent and 15 per cent respectively. However, Macron was seen in the same poll as having the best program of all the candidates by 23 per cent of viewers, followed by Melenchon with 22 per cent and Fillon with 18 per cent. The two leading candidates, Macron and Le Pen, clashed sharply over Europe during the debate. Voting in the first round of the election is set for April 23 with a runoff between the two leading candidates on May 7. (Reuters)

French election: Leftist Melenchon most convincing in live TV debate

A growing majority of French voters see Marine Le Pen&#39;s far-right National Front as a threat to democracy, but a third approve of its ideas, a Kantar Sofres-Onepoint poll showed on Tuesday.

Le Pen, who most polls see coming on top in the first round of France&#39;s presidential election, has sought to make the anti-European Union, anti-immigrant National Front less of a fringe party since she took its reins from her father in 2011.

However, 58 per cent of those surveyed in the poll for Le Monde and franceinfo radio said the party was a threat to democracy. After shrinking for a decade, that number has been rising since 2013, when it stood at 47 per cent.

Only 19 per cent of those surveyed said they wanted Le Pen to win the May 7 presidential runoff. Most polls put her ahead of other candidates in the April 23 first round, but those same surveys consistently see her losing the run-off.

A third said they completely agreed with the National Front&#39;s ideas, a proportion that has changed little since Le Pen took over the party&#39;s leadership.

The Kantar poll found key planks of Le Pen&#39;s platform gaining little traction with voters. Only 22 per cent of those polled were in favour of dropping the euro as France&#39;s currency, for example, down from 34 per cent in 2011 when pollsters started asking the question.

The FN&#39;s anti-EU, anti-immigrant stance helps mark it as anti-establishment but it is also seen as a likely obstacle to its election, in particular with older voters.

It is a key part of the FN&#39;s platform, and on Tuesday Le Pen reaffirmed that, if she were elected president but voters later rejected the EU exit in a referendum, she would resign.

&quot;What would happen if I told voters we must leave and they decided to stay?&quot; Le Pen said at a meeting with a group of entrepreneurs. &quot;I would quit. What else can I do? My whole project can only be carried out if we get the tools and powers back (from the EU.)&quot;

Likewise, only 21 per cent were in favour of giving employment priority to French citizens over foreigners residing legally in France, a level that has changed little in recent years.

(Reuters)

A growing number of French citizens see Le Pen as a threat to democracy, yet a third approve of the far-right party's ideas

A growing majority of French voters see Marine Le Pen's far-right National Front as a threat to democracy, but a third approve of its ideas, a Kantar Sofres-Onepoint poll showed on Tuesday. Le Pen, who most polls see coming on top in the first round of France's presidential election, has sought to make the anti-European Union, anti-immigrant National Front less of a fringe party since she took its reins from her father in 2011. However, 58 per cent of those surveyed in the poll for Le Monde and franceinfo radio said the party was a threat to democracy. After shrinking for a decade, that number has been rising since 2013, when it stood at 47 per cent. Only 19 per cent of those surveyed said they wanted Le Pen to win the May 7 presidential runoff. Most polls put her ahead of other candidates in the April 23 first round, but those same surveys consistently see her losing the run-off. A third said they completely agreed with the National Front's ideas, a proportion that has changed little since Le Pen took over the party's leadership. The Kantar poll found key planks of Le Pen's platform gaining little traction with voters. Only 22 per cent of those polled were in favour of dropping the euro as France's currency, for example, down from 34 per cent in 2011 when pollsters started asking the question. The FN's anti-EU, anti-immigrant stance helps mark it as anti-establishment but it is also seen as a likely obstacle to its election, in particular with older voters. It is a key part of the FN's platform, and on Tuesday Le Pen reaffirmed that, if she were elected president but voters later rejected the EU exit in a referendum, she would resign. "What would happen if I told voters we must leave and they decided to stay?" Le Pen said at a meeting with a group of entrepreneurs. "I would quit. What else can I do? My whole project can only be carried out if we get the tools and powers back (from the EU.)" Likewise, only 21 per cent were in favour of giving employment priority to French citizens over foreigners residing legally in France, a level that has changed little in recent years. (Reuters)

French election: Majority of voters mistrust Le Pen's National Front, says poll

Beleaguered French conservative candidate Francois Fillon struck a defiant note on Suday, insisting &quot;no one&quot; can stop him from running the upcoming presidential elections.

Fillon has faced intense criticism from within his party after allegations that he paid his wife thousands of euros for a fake parliamentary job.

About 250 party insiders have called for his head, suggesting he should step down as the party torchbearer due to the damage done to his reputation following the outbreak of the scandal.

&quot;No one today can prevent me being a candidate,&quot; Fillon said in a TV interview in which he again said a probe into allegations he gave his wife a highly-paid fake parliamentary job was politically motivated.

&quot;Of course it is aimed at stopping me being a candidate,&quot; Fillon said of the probe in which he is to be charged on March 15.

Asked if he would bow to calls from within his own Republicans party to withdraw, Fillon said: &quot;My answer is &#39;no&#39;.&quot;

Fillon was the frontrunner in the race until the fake jobs allegations were made in mid-January.

Besides Fillon stood his wife Penelope, the person in the eye of the storm.

He has since lost support and polls currently show he risks being knocked out in the first round on April 23 with far-right leader Marine Le Pen and 39-year-old centrist Emmanuel Macron progressing to the runoff two weeks later.

(WION with inputs fom AFP)

The conservative candidate has been accused of paying his wife thousands of euros to do a fake parliamentary job

Beleaguered French conservative candidate Francois Fillon struck a defiant note on Suday, insisting "no one" can stop him from running the upcoming presidential elections. Fillon has faced intense criticism from within his party after allegations that he paid his wife thousands of euros for a fake parliamentary job. About 250 party insiders have called for his head, suggesting he should step down as the party torchbearer due to the damage done to his reputation following the outbreak of the scandal. "No one today can prevent me being a candidate," Fillon said in a TV interview in which he again said a probe into allegations he gave his wife a highly-paid fake parliamentary job was politically motivated. "Of course it is aimed at stopping me being a candidate," Fillon said of the probe in which he is to be charged on March 15. Asked if he would bow to calls from within his own Republicans party to withdraw, Fillon said: "My answer is 'no'." Fillon was the frontrunner in the race until the fake jobs allegations were made in mid-January. Besides Fillon stood his wife Penelope, the person in the eye of the storm. He has since lost support and polls currently show he risks being knocked out in the first round on April 23 with far-right leader Marine Le Pen and 39-year-old centrist Emmanuel Macron progressing to the runoff two weeks later. (WION with inputs fom AFP)

French elections: Fillon vows to fight on in defiance rally

France&#39;s far-right party leader Marine Le Pen on Sunday&nbsp;told thousands of flag-waving supporters chanting &quot;This is our country!&quot; that she alone would protect them against Islamic fundamentalism and globalisation if elected president in May.

&quot;It is pretty obvious, the left-right division doesn&#39;t mean anything anymore,&quot; Le Pen told supporters at her campaign launch rally in Lyon. &quot;The division is not between right and left anymore, but between patriots and pro-globalisation.&quot;

In 144 &quot;commitments&quot; published on Saturday, Le Pen said she would drastically curb migration, expel all illegal migrants and reserve certain rights now available to all residents, including free education, to French citizens only. Her anti-EU National Front (FN) government would also take France out of the euro zone, hold a referendum on EU membership, slap taxes on imports and on the job contracts of foreigners.

Buoyed by Trump&#39;s victory and Britons&#39; vote to leave the European Union, Le Pen&#39;s party hopes for similar populist momentum in France.

With hitherto favourite Francois Fillon, a conservative, embroiled in scandal over his wife&#39;s job and rising centrist star, Emmanuel Macron, yet untested, Le Pen&#39;s FN says it can thwart polls that see her losing in a second round run-off. Le Pen&#39;s anti-immigration, anti-EU policy platform appealed to supporters at the rally.

&quot;Do you think this is normal that a French family who has been working for all their life, can&#39;t not even pay for food to eat, while we are giving millions of euros to foreigners?&quot; said construction worker Pierre Megias, after the rally.

Le Pen&#39;s outsider status attracted 29-year-old teacher Anne-Sophie Legauffre.

&quot;When we see other candidates emerging, such as Emmanuel Macron, who is a banker, supported by bankers and so on...I don&#39;t think what he wants to fight for is the French identity,&quot; she said.

The most recent polls indicate that Marine Le Pen would win the first round of the presidential election, but she would be beaten in the second round, whichever candidate she faces.

On the other side of Lyon, far-left firebrand Jean-Luc Melenchon held a rally, as did centrist Macron, as candidates keep a close watch of each other&#39;s moves.

(Reuters)

Officially launching her campaign, Le Pen committed to drastically curbing migration and expelling all illegal migrants

France's far-right party leader Marine Le Pen on Sunday told thousands of flag-waving supporters chanting "This is our country!" that she alone would protect them against Islamic fundamentalism and globalisation if elected president in May. "It is pretty obvious, the left-right division doesn't mean anything anymore," Le Pen told supporters at her campaign launch rally in Lyon. "The division is not between right and left anymore, but between patriots and pro-globalisation." In 144 "commitments" published on Saturday, Le Pen said she would drastically curb migration, expel all illegal migrants and reserve certain rights now available to all residents, including free education, to French citizens only. Her anti-EU National Front (FN) government would also take France out of the euro zone, hold a referendum on EU membership, slap taxes on imports and on the job contracts of foreigners. Buoyed by Trump's victory and Britons' vote to leave the European Union, Le Pen's party hopes for similar populist momentum in France. With hitherto favourite Francois Fillon, a conservative, embroiled in scandal over his wife's job and rising centrist star, Emmanuel Macron, yet untested, Le Pen's FN says it can thwart polls that see her losing in a second round run-off. Le Pen's anti-immigration, anti-EU policy platform appealed to supporters at the rally. "Do you think this is normal that a French family who has been working for all their life, can't not even pay for food to eat, while we are giving millions of euros to foreigners?" said construction worker Pierre Megias, after the rally. Le Pen's outsider status attracted 29-year-old teacher Anne-Sophie Legauffre. "When we see other candidates emerging, such as Emmanuel Macron, who is a banker, supported by bankers and so on...I don't think what he wants to fight for is the French identity," she said. The most recent polls indicate that Marine Le Pen would win the first round of the presidential election, but she would be beaten in the second round, whichever candidate she faces. On the other side of Lyon, far-left firebrand Jean-Luc Melenchon held a rally, as did centrist Macron, as candidates keep a close watch of each other's moves. (Reuters)

France election: Far-right Le Pen says 'This is our country!'

Former president Nicolas Sarkozy has been knocked out of the French right-wing primary.

Sarkozy stood third in the primary, behind two former prime ministers Francois Fillon and Alain Juppe.

Sarkozy won just 23 per cent of the vote, four percentage points behind Juppe and 21&nbsp;behind Fillon.

&quot;I did not manage to convince the voters,&quot; Sarkozy said in a speech to supporters after he was beaten.

The top two candidates will contend in next Sunday&#39;s run-off.

The winner will take on Le Pen, as the governing socialist party has been roiled by infighting and incriminations.

Fillon, 62, enjoyed a late surge in voter intentions after Juppe, 71, enjoyed frontrunner status for two months, followed by 61-year-old Sarkozy.

After the defeat, Sarkozy announced he would support Fillon as his political choices were similar to his. Fillon served as prime minister under Sarkozy.

Bling bling to bust

Sarkozy tried to bury the &quot;bling-bling&quot; image of his 2007-12 presidency by casting himself as a defender of the &quot;down-and-outs against the elites&quot;.

His taste for the high life -- he is married to former top model Carla Bruni -- and failure to make good on many of his promises had relegated him to a one-term presidency after he lost to Socialist Francois Hollande in 2012.

In his comeback bid, Sarkozy did not shrink from controversy, sharpening his anti-immigrant rhetoric after the Bastille Day truck massacre in Nice that claimed 86 lives.

The son of a Hungarian immigrant drew a line in the sand by saying in September: &quot;Once you become French, your ancestors are the Gauls.&quot;

The remarks appealed to the base of the Republicans party but alienated the moderate right and centre while appalling the left.

(WION with inputs from AFP)

Francois Fillon, who served as prime minister under Sarkozy, won the first round of the right-wing primary

Former president Nicolas Sarkozy has been knocked out of the French right-wing primary. Sarkozy stood third in the primary, behind two former prime ministers Francois Fillon and Alain Juppe. Sarkozy won just 23 per cent of the vote, four percentage points behind Juppe and 21 behind Fillon. "I did not manage to convince the voters," Sarkozy said in a speech to supporters after he was beaten. The top two candidates will contend in next Sunday's run-off. The winner will take on Le Pen, as the governing socialist party has been roiled by infighting and incriminations. Fillon, 62, enjoyed a late surge in voter intentions after Juppe, 71, enjoyed frontrunner status for two months, followed by 61-year-old Sarkozy. After the defeat, Sarkozy announced he would support Fillon as his political choices were similar to his. Fillon served as prime minister under Sarkozy. Bling bling to bust Sarkozy tried to bury the "bling-bling" image of his 2007-12 presidency by casting himself as a defender of the "down-and-outs against the elites". His taste for the high life -- he is married to former top model Carla Bruni -- and failure to make good on many of his promises had relegated him to a one-term presidency after he lost to Socialist Francois Hollande in 2012. In his comeback bid, Sarkozy did not shrink from controversy, sharpening his anti-immigrant rhetoric after the Bastille Day truck massacre in Nice that claimed 86 lives. The son of a Hungarian immigrant drew a line in the sand by saying in September: "Once you become French, your ancestors are the Gauls." The remarks appealed to the base of the Republicans party but alienated the moderate right and centre while appalling the left. (WION with inputs from AFP)

France: Sarkozy knocked out of presidential race

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