EUROPE TREMBLES: Brussels in crisis as Le Pen storms into shock poll lead over rivals

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Marine Le Pen emerged on top after the first round of voting

BRUSSELS was facing a growing political crisis today as polls showed French far-right leader Marine Le Pen has stormed into a shock lead over her presidential rivals.

By WILL KIRBY

PUBLISHED: 06:31, Mon, Nov 21, 2016UPDATED: 17:01, Mon, Nov 21, 2016

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A series of bombshell surveys suggested that the Front National chief will wallop all of the conservative candidates in the first round of the race to become the next leader of France. 

Eurosceptic Ms Le Pen, who has vowed to lead the country out of the EU, scored between four and nine per cent higher than either of the two centre-right politicians she is expected to battle for the keys to the Elysee Palace. 

However, she still faces an uphill task to clinch the top job because of the nature of France’s voting system, which requires candidates to win more than 50 per cent of the electorate over a two-round process.