French vote in nailbiter presidential poll
CRUCIAL ELECTION Turnout high in first round of polls, outcome seen as vital for future of beleaguered European Union
France voted on Sunday under heavy security in the first round of the most unpredictable presidential election in decades, with the outcome seen as vital for the future of the beleaguered European Union.
Far-right leader Marine Le Pen and centrist Emmanuel Macron are the favourites to progress to a run-off on May 7 but the result is too close to call in a deeply divided country.
Le Pen, the 48-year-old leader of the National Front (FN), hopes to capitalise on security fears that were catapulted to the fore of the campaign after the fatal shooting of a policeman on Paris’s Champs Elysees avenue claimed by the Islamic State group.
Aiming to ride a wave of populism that carried Donald Trump to the White House and led Britain to vote for Brexit, Le Pen wants France to abandon the euro and intends to call a referendum on withdrawing from the EU as well.
Observers predict that a Le Pen victory could be a fatal blow for the EU, already weakened by Britain’s vote to leave.
Macron, 39, is seeking to become France’s youngest ever president and has campaigned on a strongly pro-EU and probusiness platform.
Seeking to benefit from a worldwide move away from established political parties, the former banker and economy minister formed his own movement, “En Marche” (”On the Move”), that he says is “neither to the left nor to the right.”
But polls show scandaltainted conservative candidate Francois Fillon, a former prime minister, and hard-left firebrand Jean-Luc Melenchon are also in with a fighting chance of finishing among the top two candidates and reaching the allimportant second round.
Le Pen cast her ballot in Henin-Beaumont, a former coal mining town in northern France that has an FN mayor.
Macron voted in the chic Normandy seaside resort of Le Touquet with wife Brigitte, his former high school teacher who is 25 years his senior.
Four hours after voting stations opened, turnout was up slightly on the figure at the same stage in 2012, suggesting it could beat the final figure of 79.48% in that election.
Nearly 47 million people are eligible to vote and most polling stations will close at 1700 GMT with those in major cities shutting an hour later. First projected results are expected shortly afterwards.
Most of the 11 candidates are campaigning against the European Union, blamed for myriad woes. A French exit of the euro currency of EU would be far worse than Britain’s — it could spell death for the EU.