Traders at now give Marine Le Pen a 43% chance of winning France's next presidential election, well ahead of former Prime Minister Édouard Philippe at 18% and Cannes Mayor David Lisnard at 13%. Over the past month, Le Pen has climbed from about 35% to a peak near 45%, Philippe has fallen from roughly 30%, and Lisnard has surged from low single digits. The market has seen more than $145 million in volume.
The shift comes amid a third week of student protests over school conditions that have turned violent. France's Justice Ministry says 5,060 people have been detained, 87% of them minors. Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu told lawmakers Tuesday that 215 students and 85 education staff have been injured, the most education staff injured in decades. About 590 schools have been disrupted. Le Pen can run in spring 2027 after an appeals court in July upheld her embezzlement conviction but lifted the ban on her candidacy. A final appeal is pending.