PARIS, Nov. 18 (Xinhua) -- Former French prime minister Francois Fillon on Thursday gained some ground at the final debate ahead of Sunday's first round of the conservative party's primary elections.
An Elabe poll for news channel BFMTV showed that 33 percent of the 1,012 voters interviewed saw Fillon as the most convincing against 32 percent for Alain Juppe, the polls' favorite to win France's presidential election next year, and 18 percent for ex-president Nicolas Sarkozy.
Despite sliding support in a tight primary race, Juppe maintained the lead, according to French pollsters.
Among the three candidates of France's conservative party and its allies, whoever wins the party's two-round primaries slated for Nov. 20 and Nov. 27, will have a strong chance of becoming France's next president, due to deep divisions in the left and the public's opposition to a far-right president.
Shortly before the poll, Fillon urged voters to make up their own minds.
"We French people are a proud people, and we do not like to be dictated our choices, so do not be afraid next Sunday to contradict polls and media that had already arranged everything for you. Choose to vote for your convictions," he said at government-run France 2 television and local broadcaster Europe1.
"I have always told the truth to the French people. I have a program that is not easy, but it is the only one that gives the French their freedom to work, to succeed, to raise their children in accordance with French values," he said.
The presidential election will take place on April 23 and May 7.
According to the country's pollsters, the presidential favorite would be a conservative and would easily unseat the incumbent Socialist President Francois Hollande and beat far-rightist leader Marine Le Pen.
