National Front party leads poll ahead of French local vote

France's extreme-right National Front party is leading polls here ahead of local elections due to take place in March, outpacing support for both mainstream conservatives and leftist parties, a poll published Monday indicated.
The National Front, led by anti-European campaigner Marine Le Pen, polled 30 percent compared with 28 percent for conservatives from the UMP party and the centrists UDI coalition partner.
The ruling Socialists placed a weak third with only 20 percent in the IFOP poll published on "Le Figaro" online service.
The result reflects disaffection with the government of President Francois Hollande and his ongoing austerity policies that are needed to curb public deficits, while unemployment continues to rise above 10 percent of the workforce.
Le Pen, who took over four years ago from her father, Jean-Marie, has sought to tone down some of the more shocking rhetoric that branded her party racist, anti-Semitic and anti-Muslim, but her programme still calls for curbing immigration here and also urges that France withdraw from the European Union.
The National Front has been making strides in local politics in France for the past two years and won 11 towns and urban areas in the municipal elections last year, causing a shockwave in mainstream politics.
The party has also been contesting parliamentary seats and has come close to winning recently against a Socialist contender, although there are still only two National Front deputies in the 577-member lower house, or National Assembly.