A head-to-head race is expected, with a total of twelve candidates applying for the Élysée Palace. By 12:00 pm on Sunday, 25.48% of the 48.7 million registered voters had voted. Five years ago, the share at the same time was 28.54%.
Macron, Le Pen and the other ten candidates voted at noon. In a poll released by Kantar-Epoka on Tuesday, Macron and Le Pen were just two percentage points apart – as much as the margin of error can be. Macron dropped four points in two weeks after the poll and now has 25%.
First round of the 2022 French presidential elections: turnout in the departments at 12:00.
Le Pen, on the other hand, gained three points and now has 23%. Left populist Jean-Luc Melenchon also gained two points and is now at 16%. In the back field, far-right Eric Zemmour is steady at eleven percent, right-wing candidate Valerie Pecresse has dropped two points and is now at eight percent.
APA/AFP/Thomas Coex Acting President Emmanuel Macron during his grand campaign appearance
Almost no difference even in the most recent surveys
While the current president dropped slightly to 26.5 percent in an Ipsos-Sopra Steria poll on Thursday, right-wing Le Pen rose to 23 percent. Melenchon is in third place with 16.5 percent. An Ifop poll showed the same trend, which also saw Macron with small losses of 26.5% and Le Pen with gains of 24%. Melenchon remained steady at 17.5 percent in that poll.
In both polls are candidates from the classic popular parties, Pecresse with 8.5% to 9% and socialist Anne Hidalgo with 2% each. Zemmour, who was up early in the election campaign, sees just 8.5% in both polls.
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Surprising turnaround just before the election
Woo to 30 percent undecided
In a Harris Interactive poll released on Monday, Macron is close to 51.5 and Le Pen is close to 48.5. Allowing a margin of error of around three points, that could spell a possible Le Pen victory in the second round.
In recent elections, candidates from right-wing populist or right-wing extremist parties have often fared worse than before in the polls. According to polls, more than 30% of French people are still undecided about who they will vote for, a group that was courted to the end.
Macron: Did he enter the election campaign too late?
Macron entered the election campaign very late with the security and composure of the incumbent. During the Ukraine crisis, he presented himself to the media as a European statesman and mediator – but it remains to be seen whether that will be enough against the EU’s skeptical Le Pen.
Macron has already announced that, if he is re-elected, his pension will be linked to inflation from the summer. The focus of the first measures of a second term would be to maintain purchasing power, Macron told TF1 television on Wednesday. He also wants to further limit gas and electricity prices.
APA/AFP/Ludovic Marin French presidential candidate Marine Le Pen (RN) on TV show
Le Pen and the proximity to Putin
Le Pen himself has another problem: The election will show how Le Pen voters view his closeness to Russian President Vladimir Putin, which they once insisted on flaunting. She condemned the Russian invasion of Ukraine as a clear violation of international law. But this distance also reveals that the previously propagated concept of cooperation with Russia for security in Europe has failed.
Election memorandum: France’s position on Putin
Cornelia Primosch, ORF correspondent, talks about the attitude of the French towards the war in Ukraine and how some politicians deal with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Second poll as good as fixed
Neither Macron nor Le Pen is expected to win the first round. Two weeks later, on April 24, there will be a runoff between the two candidates with the most votes in the first ballot. A decision is expected between Macron and Le Pen. Already in 2017, Macron and Le Pen entered a second round, which Macron ended up winning with 66%.
APA/AFP/Ludovic Marin Residents of Spezet, western France, in front of candidates’ posters
Polling stations are open until 7 pm on Sundays and until 8 pm in large cities. However, due to the time difference, voting in the overseas territories and some foreign missions will already take place on Saturday. Everyone must vote where they are listed on the electoral roll. This is particularly important as there is no mail-in voting. However, this can be done by proxy. If a voter cannot attend, he or she can authorize someone to vote for him or her. However, the proxy must do so at the local polling station of the person he represents.
Electoral participation is also a concern
Due to the anticipated neck-to-neck race, voter participation is of additional importance. According to recent surveys, it can reach 70% in the first round. That would be about eight points less than in the previous election in 2017. However, there is no minimum turnout for the result to be valid. Amid fears of low turnout, the government wanted to use Snapchat to encourage young people to vote. The online network offers reminder messages, links to granting powers of attorney and Bitmojis, a sort of profile picture with the French national colors, the government and company announced on Thursday – three days before the first round.
Election note: France’s ‘out of touch’ president
Cornelia Primosch, ORF correspondent, on Emmanuel Macron’s tightrope between reputation and arrogance.
“This partnership breaks institutional conventions and we stand for that,” said Michael Nathan, the government’s director of intelligence. “We want to use our platform … to engage the generation that grew up with cell phones,” added Sarah Bouchahoua of Snapchat. The network, in which mainly young people exchange messages, but mainly photos and videos, is used by around 24 million people in France every month.
Parliamentary elections as the next challenge
Even after the second round of presidential elections, political peace is not expected for the winner. Parliamentary elections will take place on June 12 and 19. You are of great importance. Without a majority in parliament, in the Assemblee Nationale, the president would be forced to appoint a government made up of politicians from a different political field. The prime minister then becomes significantly more important than if he comes from the same party. If there is no balance, there may even be a country blockade if there are different political views and actions.