Le Pen, the National Front leader, is still the favorite to win the April round of voting. She is credited with 26 percent of votes, while Macron is projected to win 25 percent. Fillon, the nominee of The Republicans party, stands at 17 percent.
Fillon’s rating slipped after a French tabloid claimed he had paid huge sums of money to his wife and children for assistant jobs they did not do, allegations that he described as a political assassination.
The center-right candidate has repeatedly denied all accusations and pressed on with his election campaign despite a dip in popularity. His party has been pressed to look for alternatives for his candidacy. Earlier on Sunday, party members said a plan of action to address the scandal would be revealed later in the day or early on Monday.
The first round of the French presidential election is scheduled for April 23, with the run-off set for May 7.
