PARIS – French far-right leader Marine Le Pen and hard-left rival Jean-Luc Melenchon widened their lead over ​other candidates and would face each other in ‌a run-off in all tested scenarios, a poll showed on Monday, stressing growing polarization as President Emmanuel Macron's era ends.

Le Pen ​would top the first-round vote with between 35 percent ​and 37 percent depending on the scenarios tested by ⁠pollster Toluna Harris Interactive in a survey carried ​out between Oct 5 and Oct 8. A similar poll ​last month showed her at between 33 percent and 36 percent.

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Melenchon, the candidate of the far-left France Unbowed (LFI) party, is seen reaching a ​run-off in all the five scenarios polled. A similar ​poll last month showed him finishing third in two configurations out ‌of ⁠five. Le Pen is seen beating Melenchon easily in a run-off.

As Macron's second and final five-year term comes to an end, the unpopular president leaves behind a ​hollowed-out political ​centre and ⁠weak economy, creating an opening for hardline parties, such as LFI and Le Pen's ​National Rally.

Melenchon has already run three times ​for ⁠president in 2012, 2017 and 2022 but has never managed to reach the second round. Le Pen has ⁠also ​run these same three times. ​She made it to the run-off in 2017 and 2022, but lost ​to Macron.