Marine Le Pen and far-left presidential contender Jean-Luc Mélenchon are expected to reach the second round of next year’s French presidential election in all five scenarios examined in a poll published today.

The survey results suggest that French voters could face a contest between the extremes in the election, which is scheduled for next April and May, with centrist candidates falling behind amid rising prices, a slowing economy and geopolitical instability.

Le Pen, who leads the National Rally (RN), appears to be securing between 35% and 36% in the first round, according to the Toluna Harris Interactive poll, up from the 33% she received in a previous poll published on 14 September.

Mélenchon, leader of La France Insoumise, will face Le Pen in the second round, securing between 17% and 18%, according to the poll, which was conducted from 22 to 24 September for French television channel M6 and Luxembourg-based media group RTL.

Centrist candidate Édouard Philippe appears to be securing between 13% and 16%, a share that would not be enough to reach the second round.

Le Pen appears to defeat both Mélenchon and Philippe in the second round. She would win 69% of the vote against Mélenchon and 57% against Philippe, according to the survey.