MARINE Le Pen may be on the verge of startling the world by winning the French presidential election, according to an exclusive poll conducted for the Sunday Express.

With less than a week until the election, the Democracy Institute’s poll of French voters indicated that Emmanuel Macron leads his rightwing competitor by two points, 43 percent to 41 percent. However, and perhaps most significantly, the poll indicates that 16% of French voters are uncertain and might go either way.

More concerning for Macron is the fact that third-place far-left candidate Jean-Luc Mélenchon’s votes eventually split between the two finalists, with 28% going to Macron and 26% to Le Pen.

When the two squared off in 2017, Macron captured nearly all of the far-left vote.

However, according to a poll of 1,050 French voters, Macron is losing popularity due to the cost of living crisis, which Le Pen outpolls and is the primary source of concern for 54% of French voters.

Le Pen is gaining popularity among low-income voters, with Macron receiving only 38% of the vote.

Meanwhile, Macron is counting on young people and retirees to carry him over the finish line, with a majority of 18- to 24-year-olds and over 65s respectively.

Patrick Basham, director of the Democracy Institute, said: “On Easter Sunday, French President Emmanuel Macron should pray next week is uneventful. If it is, he will be reelected. Marine Le Pen should pray for someone or something to disrupt the political week. If that happens, she probably wins the election.”

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