With just over a year to go before the presidential election, Ifop asked the French for Le Point about their views on a “common base” primary.
In terms of self-positioning within a left-right axis, 58% of French people say they are on the right. This majority is all the more overwhelming among LR and Horizons supporters, with 96% and 85% respectively. A proportion that seems more measured among Renaissance (71%) and MoDem (68%) supporters.
When it comes to approval of and interest in a “common” base primary, a divide emerges among the French. If the Renaissance, Modem, Horizons, UDI and Les Républicains parties were to agree to organize a primary open to voters to designate their candidate for the next presidential election, this would be approved by 50% of the French. This figure rises to 58% among French people on the center or right, and to over 81% among Renaissance sympathizers, or 80% among LR sympathizers. However, interest in this approach itself is more timid, at 35% among French people as a whole. The latter remains largely driven by supporters of right-wing and center-right political parties (74% Renaissance, 72% LR).
While approval of the approach is shared by half of French people, the commitment to take part in this possible primary also seems less significant. Indeed, only 36% of French people on the center and right say they plan to take part.
Finally, 2/3 of French people on the center or right (66%) consider that the organization of this primary would increase the chances of the designated candidate reaching the second round of the presidential election. This statement is particularly strong among supporters of the “common base” (89% Renaissance, 92% Horizons, 87% LR), who see it as an argument for structuring this base. The other point put forward concerns reducing the risk of Jean-Luc Mélenchon and Jordan Bardella facing each other in the second round of the presidential election: 51% of French people think that organizing a “common base” primary would be a response to this, and almost 85% for supporters of the parties concerned.
