Macron seen most convincing in French election debate - poll

Candidate for the 2017 presidential election Emmanuel Macron, head of the political movement En Marche !, or Onwards !, arrives for a debate organised by French private TV channel TF1 in Aubervilliers, outside Paris, France, March 20, 2017. REUTERS/Patrick Kovarik/Pool

PARIS (Reuters) - Centrist presidential candidate Emmanuel Macron was seen as the most convincing of the top five election contenders in a French televised debate, according to an opinion poll published minutes after the debate ended.

Twenty-nine percent of viewers thought Macron was the most convincing, ahead of firebrand leftist Jean-Luc Melenchon with 20 percent, while conservative Francois Fillon and far-right leader Marine Le Pen were tied in third place with 19 percent, the Elabe poll showed.