Far-left Melenchon ahead in French election debate

PARIS: Usually grumpy and always acid-tongued, Communist-backed Jean-Luc Melenchon goes into the second French presidential debate on Tuesday on a high, comparing his campaign to a spring-time flower bed.

For months Melenchon limped behind in fifth place, his role apparently limited to siphoning off votes from the beleaguered Socialist party in the first round of the presidential vote - until a decisive change in sentiment last month.