More than 48 million citizens were summoned to these votes. Photo: @SRodigoteleSUR.
French citizens began this Sunday to take part in the ballot box to renew the presidency of the republic for the period 2022-2027a position contested by a total of 12 candidates.
The polling stations opened their doors at 08:00 local time (06:00 GMT) and will operate until 19:00 local time (17:00 GMT), although they can extend their work if voters are present.
More than 48 million citizens were called to vote, and the electoral authorities want to announce the first official results on Sunday evening.
To win the presidency in this first round, a candidate must receive more than 50% of the valid votes, which has never happened during the Fifth Republic, in force since 1958.
A total of 12 candidates are vying for the European country’s first magistrate, but polls suggest no candidate will win that day, prompting a second and final round to take place on April 24.
#France decides 🇫🇷 Polling stations open in #France to elect the future President of the Republic 👇 pic.twitter.com/mqyqaX7vHM
— Sergio Rodrigo (@SRodigoteleSUR) April 10, 2022
Opinion polls predict that current French President Emmanuel Macron and right-wing National Assembly leader Marine Le Pen will make it to the second round.
Other presidential candidates include conservative Valérie Pecresse, far-right Éric Zemmour, leftist Jean-Luc Mélenchon and socialist Anne Hidalgo, mayor of Paris.
(With information from teleSUR)