Europeanen hebben voorkeur voor Royal als Franse president (en)

Europeans from the four biggest EU member states largely favour Socialist candidate Segolene Royal to become the next French president, but her centre-right competitor Nicolas Sarkozy continues to lead the polls in France.

Sixteen percent of German, British, Italian and Spanish respondents would like to see the left-leaning Ms Royal take over from outgoing French president Jacques Chirac while just 7 percent would opt for Mr Sarkozy, according to a Harris poll for Financial Times published on Monday (16 April).

The support for Ms Royal was highest among the Spanish and Italians who also have left-leaning governments in their home countries.

Spain's prime minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero has come out as the strongest VIP fan of the French female candidate, arguing that her election would be good for the whole of Europe.

"Europe needs France to continue advancing with its project and it is logical that there exists great expectations in the entire European Union over these elections, which come at an especially relevant moment for the European project," Mr Zapatero was quoted as saying by AFP.

"I like her programme and I think her predisposition to listen is exemplary," he said, adding "In addition, it seems decisive that a woman is for the first time in a position to reach the French presidency."

But the FT/Harris poll showed 23 percent of French respondents believe Mr Sarkozy would make a better president, compared to 22 percent support for Ms Royal.

Such a result is in line with surveys among voters in France ahead of the first round of presidential elections to be held on Sunday (22 April), with some Socialists urging Ms Royal to join forces with the centrist candidate Francois Bayrou in order to defeat Mr Sarkozy.

In terms of key EU topics, Ms Royal and Mr Bayrou are viewed with concern in some European quarters as both want another referendum on a revised EU treaty.

The new EU charter is set to emerge after intergovernmental talks about the bloc's new constitution, which was put on ice after its rejection by French and Dutch voters in 2005.

On the other hand, Mr Sarkozy has proposed having a mini-EU treaty covering reforms of EU institutions that could be passed by national parliaments only.