Poll tips French conservative Pecresse to face Macron in 2022 presidential run-off

FILE PHOTO: Valerie Pecresse, head of the Paris Ile-de-France region and Les Republicains (LR) right-wing party candidate for the 2022 French presidential election, attends a meeting following a closed-door session with party officials, in Paris, France, December 11, 2021. REUTERS/Benoit Tessier

PARIS (Reuters) - A new poll showed French conservative Valerie Pecresse as the likely challenger to President Emmanuel Macron in the second round of presidential elections in April 2022.

The Ipsos/Sopra Steria poll showed Pecresse - who early this month won her Les Republicains party's primary to be its candidate - winning 17% of first-round voting intentions, behind Macron's 25.5%, but up 10 points from a poll in October.