The Ifop poll of voting intentions for the May 2019 European Parliament elections showed the RN rising from 17 per cent at the end of August to 21 per cent now, moving ahead of the LREM on 20 per cent for the first time.

The RN’s 21 per cent, combined with the 7 per cent of Nicolas Dupont-Aignan’s Debout La France (Stand up France) party and one per cent each for Florian Philippot’s Les Patriotes and François Asselineau’s pro-“Frexit” Popular Republican Union gave far-right parties a combined 30 per cent total.

This was up five percentage points from 25 per cent of voting intentions at the end of August.

Sunday’s poll provides striking evidence that France has shifted towards the far right since Macron easily beat Le Pen, leading what was then known as the Front National, in the second round of voting in the 2017 French presidential election.

It also gives further cause to believe that the European Parliament elections in 2019 are shaping up to be a major battle between centrist, pro-EU parties such as Macron’s LREM, and far-right formations that want to stop immigration and globalisation.

The far-right politicians winning power across Europe Show all 7 1 /7 The far-right politicians winning power across Europe The far-right politicians winning power across Europe Viktor Orban – Hungary, Fidesz The Prime Minister of Hungary has threatened to shut down NGOs that help refugees; run a state backed hate campaign against George Soros and removed constitutional checks and balances. He said: 'We have replaced a shipwrecked liberal democracy with a 21st century Christian democracy' Reuters The far-right politicians winning power across Europe Matteo Salvini – Italy, Lega The leader of Italy’s junior governing party has pledged to deport 500,000 irregular migrants; stated joining the euro was a mistake and wants to end sanctions against Russia. He said: 'The only antidote to racism is to control, regulate and limit immigration' AFP/Getty The far-right politicians winning power across Europe Heinz-Christian Strache – Austria, FPO The deputy prime minister of Austria wants to drive Islam out of public life in Austria; has threatening mosque closures and wants to end sanctions against Russia. He said: 'Let us put an end to this policy of Islamisation as soon as possible' AFP/Getty The far-right politicians winning power across Europe Marine Le Pen – France, Front National The runner-up in the French presidential election wants policies to favour ‘native’ French; has stated she would hold an EU referendum and wants to deport irregular migrants. She said: 'I’m not offended when I hear President Donald Trump say "America first". In fact, I want America first for the American people, I want Britain first for the British people and I want France first for the French people' AP The far-right politicians winning power across Europe Janez Jansa – Slovenia, Slovenian Democratic Party The leader of Slovenia’s largest party says the country is run by a secretive former communist cabal; has appointed political allies to press agencies and was sent to prison for alleged corruption which was later overturned by the Constitutional Court. He said: 'Our party puts Slovenia, Slovenians first' Reuters The far-right politicians winning power across Europe Alexander Gauland – Germany, AfD The leader of the first far-right party in the Bundestag in decades says Islam is not a part of Germany; wants a ban on public Islamic symbols and wants to leave the euro. He said: 'A German or English football team hasn’t been German or English in the classical sense for a long time' Alamy The far-right politicians winning power across Europe Jarosław Kaczynski – Poland, Law and Justice The chairman of Poland’s governing party says migrants spread infectious diseases; wants to ban gay people from being teachers and has sought to implement constitutional changes to give government more power over courts. He said: 'It is absolutely clear a homosexual should not be a teacher' Kacper Pempel/Reuters

The European elections will come after a year in which the anti-immigrant Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) party came to be represented in all 16 of Germany’s state parliaments, and the far-right Sweden Democrats made significant gains in that country’s 2018 general election.

In Italy, a new far-right coalition took power at the end of May, offering plans for mass deportations of undocumented migrants, launching a “census” of the country’s Roma traveller population, and in October promising to make “ethnic” shops close at 9pm.

And in Hungary Viktor Orban, who has presented himself as a defender of Europe against Muslim migrants, won a third term in office as prime minister in an April 2018 election.

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In France, although Macron beat Le Pen in the 2017 presidential election by 66 to 34 per cent, his victory margin was significantly slimmer than in 2002 when widespread horror at Marine’s father Jean-Marie making it to the second round produced a 82 to 18 per cent landslide for Jacques Chirac.

And since being elected president, Macron has been damaged by the brusque departure of two high-profile ministers, while a summer scandal over his bodyguard has combined with high unemployment and taxes to produce increasing discontent.