Mr Bayrou scraped 7% in 2002, but he has been quietly gaining ground: one Ifop poll gave him 12%.

ECONOMIST: The French presidential race

When asked by Ifop, a pollster, how best to raise their purchasing power, only 42% of respondents picked out more retail competition.

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However, opinion on adoption rights for same-sex couples is split almost down the middle, with 52% in favor, according to the Ifop-Le Monde survey.

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One this month by Ifop gave Mr Sarkozy 30%, well above Mr Chirac's 20% in 2002, and Ms Royal 31%, almost twice what Mr Jospin took.

ECONOMIST: The French presidential race

However, opinion on the question of adoption rights for same-sex couples is split almost down the middle, with 52% in favor, according to the Ifop-Le Monde survey conducted October 29-31.

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An opinion poll released Wednesday by polling group Ifop and Le Monde newspaper found 65% of those surveyed support equal marriage rights for same-sex couples -- a clear majority of the population.

CNN: French ministers back draft bill on same-sex marriage

The gap between Mr de Villepin and the persistently popular Mr Sarkozy has narrowed: 12 percentage points separated the two in May, according to Ifop, but the margin was down to a point in July.

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Despite an effort a year ago to spice up his image, his popularity rating is low (43%, according to Ifop, a pollster), compared with that of Mr Hollande (48%), and way behind those of popular heroes such as Bernard Kouchner (73%) or Jack Lang (67%).

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