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The National Front leader has usurped Conservative candidate Francois Fillon to take the lead according to an Ifop-Fiducial opinion poll. Le Pen is now leading the polls for the first time after taking advantage of Fillon’s declining popularity among France’s working class voters, according to the survey carried out for French weekly newspaper Paris Match, TV channel iTele and radio station Sud-Radio.

GETTY Marine Le Pen has taken the lead against chief rival Francois Fillon

In a series of voting scenarios, the populist leader was seen winning around 26.5 per cent of the first round vote, while Fillon is a close second with almost 25 per cent. The presidential hopeful has promised to hold a referendum regarding France’s EU membership within six months if she wins the general election, which would mark yet another shocking victory in global politics following Brexit and Trump’s landmark victory in the US election.

Things you didn't know about Marine Le Pen Fri, May 5, 2017 Marine Le Pen is a French politician who is the president of the National Front, a national-conservative political party in France and one of its main political forces. Play slideshow AFP/Getty Images 1 of 10 Described as more democratic and republican than her nationalist father, she has led a movement of "de-demonization of the Front National" to detoxify it and soften its image

Macron, who pushed for Europe to work together to fight terrorism in a speech in Berlin on Tuesday, has surged in popularity in recent weeks although he still remains a long way behind Fillon and Le Pen. In a devastating blow, the four main contenders for the presidential candidacy for the socialist party would not even qualify for the second round of voting according to the poll results. Former prime minister Manuel Valls stands the best chance of becoming the socialist candidate according to the survey, but the chances of another French Socialist Party candidate following outgoing president Francois Hollande in becoming the country’s next leader look increasingly slim.

GETTY Francois Fillon presented his New Year's wishes to the press in Paris on Tuesday