The first round of France’s presidential elections this Sunday keeps a panorama of uncertainty alive with the surge in the polls of far-right candidate Marine Le Pen. Could Le Pen win the elections if the Social Democrats and Conservatives – comparable to Spain’s PSOE and PP – are far from the top positions in voting intentions? Although it is probably the first round, in this video two experts analyze the political reality of the Gallic country. Candidate Emmanuel Macron is the best-placed candidate according to the latest polls, but would he still be the favorite in a second round with just the two candidates with the most votes? What speaks for the current French President? The war in Ukraine and the pandemic have been protagonists of an abnormal legislature for the current president, who is presented as the only possible alternative to a Le Pen government. The far-right leader started the campaign far from Macron, but in recent days she has reduced her gap to 5 points from the 16 points the French leader took two weeks ago.
Which factors are decisive in addition to the candidates when voting? What do the French prioritize? Youth abstention could be crucial to the support received from the various political representatives. Is there a disillusionment towards public representatives? What can motivate you? The experts explain all these factors to understand the social and economic context in which French society lives. At the start of the election campaign, the presence of Éric Zemmour threatened Le Pen’s electorate, despite falling far behind in published polls. On the left, Jean-Luc Mélenchon is the only possible candidate to reach the second round. But it remains in third place, still far from the far-right leader.