Marine Le Pen leads poll ahead of French presidential election

French National Front leader Marine Le Pen has surged ahead in a key poll as attention turns to the presidential election later this year in the country.

Le Pen and her party's rise matches that of the Brexit campaign and Donald Trump in 2016, two unexpected victories which shattered the political landscape and saw those whom some observers consider populist figures enter mainstream politics.

France´s far-right leader currently has between 25%-26% support, ahead of the 23%-25% registered by Republican candidate Francois Fillon, with the poll showing a clear turnaround from the figures released before Christmas

The poll was carried out by Ipsos Sopra Steria for French publications Cevipof and Le Monde.

Le Pen leads the ultra-nationalist National Front, which has pledged to introduce a motion for a referendum on European Union membership, similar to that which took place in June last year in the United Kingdom.

The results of the survey also suggested independent candidate Emmanuel Macron was also gaining ground.

The leader of the French party caused a stir on Wednesday after she compared Theresa May's 12-point Brexit plan as similar to her own plan to reorganise France in the aftermath of a "Frexit" from the EU.

"We need economic patriotism; we need intelligent protectionism, which Mr Trump and Ms May are in the process of implementing," Le Pen said.

"In effect, they are putting the plan of Marine Le Pen into action."