Poll shows Macron, far-right Le Pen's parties neck-and-neck for European elections

PARIS -- French President Emmanuel Macron's the Republic on the Move (LREM) party and far-right National Rally (RN) party were neck-and-neck with up to 22.5 percent of voting intentions for the European Parliament election in May, a survey showed on Tuesday.

In an Elabe poll, Macron's centrist movement was seen winning 22.5 percent, unchanged from last survey at the end of March, while National Rally led by Marine Le Pen fell to 21.5 percent from previous 22 percent.

The conservative Les Republicans came third with 15.5 percent.

The pollster's data suggested the competition to snatch seats at the Starsbourg-based parliament will be a major battle for Macron to defend liberalism and progressive approach amid mounting populism in Europe while he is suffering slumping public support due to unabated street protests.

As the European elections are approaching, four out of ten voters said they will make choices based on national issues, with 32 percent said they did not approve the government's policy, the poll showed.

Macron's movement has been campaigning for stronger eurozone and further economic openness to boslter domestic economy and create businesses opportunities for millions of people without work.

His rival Le Pen proposed the other face of the coin via nationalist project aimed at install internal borders to slash immigration which she said was the main cause of rising security fears and rampant unemployment.

Elabe survey questioned 1,200 respondents on April 28-29.