A new poll released Thursday, March 12, indicates that the race for Lyon’s mayoral seat is tightening as the election nears. Even as Jean-Michel Aulas remains the frontrunner, his lead over incumbent Grégory Doucet has narrowed significantly.
The latest survey, conducted by OpinionWay for CNEWS, Europe 1 and Le JDD, shows Aulas with 43% of the vote, a slight decrease from previous polls. Meanwhile, Doucet has gained ground, now securing 35% of voter intentions – his highest level of support yet.
The eight-point gap between the two candidates represents the closest the race has been throughout the campaign. This suggests a potentially competitive second round of voting.
Currently, no other candidate is expected to qualify for a runoff. LFI deputy Anaïs Belouassa-Cherifi is polling at 9%, just below the 10% threshold. Alexandre Dupalais, a candidate backed by UDR-RN, has seen his support decline to 6%.
Several other candidates remain below the 5% mark needed for reimbursement or to merge their lists with qualifying candidates, including Georges Képénékian (3%), Nathalie Perrin-Gilbert (2%), Raphaëlle Mizony (2%), Delphine Briday (under 1%), and Michaël Jouteux (under 1%).
Looking Ahead to a Potential Runoff
The poll also modeled a potential second-round matchup between Aulas and Doucet. According to the survey, Aulas would win with 53% of the vote, while Doucet would receive 47%. This indicates that while Aulas is still favored, Doucet’s momentum could make for a close contest.
Aulas has lost one to two points in recent polls compared to mid-February, while Doucet has gained three to six points. Four months ago, Doucet trailed Aulas by a much wider 20-point margin, with 27% to Aulas’ 47%.
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