‘People’s primary’ backs Christiane Taubira as unity candidate of French left

Ex-minister ranked top, but others dismiss poll to find candidate with fighting chance of unseating Macron

A four-day people's primary" has picked the former justice minister Christiane Taubira as the favourite to lead the French left's presidential election campaign, but doubts remain whether she will be able to win wider support as a unifying figure.

A total of 467,000 people signed up for the online vote, which started on Thursday. They where asked to rank five professional politicians and two civil society candidates on a scale from very good" to inadequate".