French protests boost Marine Le Pen's election ratings

Support for French far-right leader Marine Le Pen has risen to 36% in the first round of the next presidential election, boosted by protests that swept the country on October 17, according to a new Ifop poll. The figure is up from 34% before the unrest and 32% in late September. Le Pen has urged a tough government response to rioters and blamed immigration policy under Emmanuel Macron. Meanwhile, centrist candidates Édouard Philippe and Gabriel Attal have lost support, while leftist Jean-Luc Mélenchon rose to 16.5%. Le Pen also leads in second-round scenarios against five potential rivals, including Philippe and Mélenchon. The election is due in spring 2027, as Macron cannot run again due to constitutional term limits.