Le Pen leads French presidential polls after sentence reduction

Marine Le Pen, a prominent far-right figure and presidential candidate in France, has surged to the lead in opinion polls, garnering 36% support according to a survey by Ifop.

This rise in popularity follows a recent appeals court ruling on July 8 that reduced her sentence in a public funds embezzlement case. Initially facing a potential ban from running for office after a first-instance conviction, Le Pen's sentence was reduced on appeal, allowing her to remain the presidential candidate for the National Rally (RN) party.

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the judicial risk has been resolved, allowing her to secure her candidacy as the National Rally's presidential nominee.

Le Pen's approval rating has seen a significant increase, jumping 4 percentage points since the last poll on June 26. This surge appears to be largely due to her securing the nomination, absorbing much of the support previously held by RN party leader Jordan Bardella, who had slightly higher ratings in a previous poll where candidates were listed separately. Le Pen has publicly stated her intention to appoint Bardella as prime minister if she wins the presidency, signaling a unified front within the party.

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The two leaders agreed to continue technical discussions to review the details.

In contrast, other potential presidential candidates lag considerably behind Le Pen. Former Prime Minister Édouard Philippe, aligned with President Emmanuel Macron's camp, is in second place with 19% support. Jean-Luc Mélenchon, leader of the left-wing "La France Insoumise" party, follows with 15%. President Macron himself is ineligible to run for a third term.

While Le Pen is widely expected to advance from the first round of the election, analysts suggest that predicting the final outcome remains difficult. French presidential elections have historically seen a phenomenon known as the "republican front," where voters from various political leanings unite to prevent a far-right candidate from winning the presidency in the runoff.

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This agreement, if reached, will pave the way for Korean companies to take part in NATO’s joint procurement market, which is expected to be worth 15 trillion won a year.