French voters cast their ballots on Sunday in the first round of the presidential election, in which far-right candidate Marine Le Pen poses an unexpected threat to President Emmanuel Macron’s hopes of winning a new term.
Just weeks ago, opinion polls pointed to an easy victory for a pro-EU Macron, whose position has been bolstered by his active diplomacy on Ukraine, a strong economic recovery and a weak opposition.
But his popularity declined for a number of reasons, including his late entry into the election campaign when he held only one large rally, which even his supporters found disappointing, his focus on an unpopular plan to raise the retirement age, and the sharp rise in inflation.
On the other hand, Le Pen, who belongs to the far-right, skeptical of the European Union and anti-immigration, toured France with a smile and confidence on her face, amid chants of her supporters, “We will win, we will win.” Her position has been bolstered by a months-long focus on the cost of living and a dramatic drop in support for her far-right rival Eric Zemmour.
However, polls still suggest Macron will lead the first round and win the run-off once morest Le Pen on April 24, but several polls now say that is within the margin of error.
Voting begins at 8 am (0600 GMT) and ends at 1800 GMT, when the first polls of voters’ opinions as they leave the polling stations will be published. These surveys are usually very reliable in France.
