PARIS, Dec 20 (AFP) - One French voter in three thinks President Jacques Chirac should resign and open the way to an early presidential election, an opinion poll disclosed Tuesday.

Chirac's term ends in May 2007, by which time he will have been in the Elysee Palace for 12 years.

The poll, to be published in full in the news magazine L'Express on Thursday, found 33 percent of those questioned thought he should quit now, 14 percent that he should devote himself to "international affairs without intervening in domestic politics", while 54 percent wanted him "to involve himself fully in domestic policy alongside the government."

Eight percent had no view.

The president remains deeply unpopular: 55 percent have a "rather bad" or "bad" opinion of him (up one percent on last month) against 36 percent with a "rather good" or "good" opinion (down three percent on November). Nine percent gave no opinion (up two percent).

Asked about the 2007 presidential poll 41 percent wanted a candidate from the left elected (up three percent), 32 percent a candidate from the right (up one percent) and 31 percent gave no view (down four percent).

The positive rating of Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin remained stable at 46 percent but negative opinions were up three percent at 42 percent.

The poll was conducted by BVA by telephone on December 16 and 17 with a sample of 978 people selected by quota.

© AFP

Subject: French news