France's Sarkozy Keeps Poll Lead Before Election

Nicolas Sarkozy has maintained his lead over Socialist rival Segolene Royal before second round, election opinion polls showed.

French presidential frontrunner Nicolas Sarkozy has maintained his lead over Socialist rival Segolene Royal before Sunday's second round election, opinion polls released on Monday showed.

A poll for the Ifop institute showed Sarkozy, head of the ruling UMP party, on 53 percent ahead of Royal on 47, unchanged from an earlier survey. A separate poll for the LH2 institute put Sarkozy on 52 points and Royal on 48. The two polls were taken on Friday and Saturday, amid a controversy over a debate between Royal and Francois Bayrou, the centrist who finished third in the first round and whose 7 million voters could prove key to deciding the race.

Sarkozy was accused of pressuring media organisations to try to prevent the debate -- a charge his camp denied.