The French at the polls for the ballot of the presidential elections between Emmanuel Macron e Marine Le Pen. Polling stations (open from 8) will close at 20 across the country, but in some large cities it will be possible to vote until 20. The first exit polls will be disclosed by the media starting at 20. The vote heralds a tighter duel than in 2017 – when the difference between the two candidates was 32 points – but the outgoing head of state still remains the favorite, oscillating between 55.5 and 57.5 per cent in voting intentions. Decisive will be the abstentions (25.8% in the first round) and the voters of the radical left candidate, Jean-Luc Melenchonfinished third on April 10 (21.95%).
Europe looks on with trepidation. And Putin too. The victory of the nationalist Le Pen, close to the Kremlin, would weaken both the European project and the Western unity in the response to Russia in Ukraine.
18.10 Marine Le Pen at her headquarters
Candidate Marine Le Pen has arrived at her headquarters at Porte de Saint-Cloud in Paris.
18.07 US Embassy: risk of unrest after the elections
The American embassy in France warns against any “risks of terrorism and unrest”, but also of any “violent demonstrations”, starting at 8 pm this evening, once the result of the presidential elections has been made known. “Spontaneous demonstrations in large French cities after 8 pm could become violent” according to the law in a note. The embassy therefore invited its fellow citizens to avoid the sites of the demonstrations. Among those reported the one in Lyon and the one planned in the station square in Strasbourg.
17.31 Towards record abstention at 28%
The second round of the French presidential elections could record a record abstention rate of 28%, the highest since 1969. The forecast is from a poll just drawn up by Elabe for BFM TV e L’Express. In the first round, the abstention was 26.31%. The level of abstention instead of the 2017 Macron-Le Pen ballot was 25.44%.
17.12 Macron in the lead in the vote abroad
Emmanuel Macron leads the vote among the French abroad. The Belgian newspaper writes it Freewho had access to part of the final results of the ballot, in particular in the American continent: the outgoing president has 89% of the votes, against 11% of Marine Le Pen.
17.06 Turnout at 5pm at 63.23%
The turnout in the French presidential elections is at 63.23% at 5 pm. In the first round, at this time, it was 65%, and at 65.30, still two points more, it was at 5 pm in the 2017 ballot.
17.02 Marine Le Pen leads the overseas territories
Marine Le Pen leads the French Overseas Territories in the runoff with Emmanuel Macron. IS what emerges from the final data published by the Belgian media, but which the French media cannot yet disclose to open polls. According to La Libre and LN24, the Rassemblement national candidate obtained 69.60% of the votes in Guadeloupe, 60.87% in Martinique, 60.70% in Guyana, 55.42% in Saint-Martin and Saint -Barthélemy, and 50.69% in Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon. The outgoing president is in the lead only in French Polynesia, with 51.81%. Abstention was 57.75%.
16.30 The “patriot” Philippot goes to vote … at 170km per hour
Misadventure for Florian Philippot, former right-hand man of Marine Le Pen and leader of the “Patriots” party, stopped by the police while on the highway he was going at 170 kilometers per hour.
15.05 Macron tweets the “gif” of the vote and thanks the voters
President Emmanuel Macron posted a “gif”, a short looped animation, of his vote on Twitter. And he thanked the voters, “the beating heart of our democracy”.
14.30 The abstentionist photo of the centrist candidate: “It’s not a foolish act”
As announced a few days ago, Jean Lassalle, leader of the centrist Resistons party, excluded in the first round of the presidential elections, abstained from voting in the second round. And he did it publicly in front of the photographers, putting his blank card in his pocket in front of the polls. “Abstention in front of the polls,” he said. “After these last days of the campaign, which also caused me some sleepless nights, I told myself that the white vote was not enough. situation is worrying. This act, which may seem silly or senseless, is part of a form of political resistance, I will continue my reflection in the coming weeks, “said Lassalle.
Lassalle, 66, has a long-standing career in institutions and is known for his alternative political methods and many critical interventions at the National Assembly, where he has held the role of deputy since 2002. Among his most sensational achievements is having entered in the Assembly with the yellow vest, in support of the homonymous protest movement.
14.05 Stable turnout in Corsica despite the appeal of the separatists
In Corsica, the turnout at 12 is stable despite the separatists having called for a boycott of the polls.
Copyright: Sylvain Manternach / Jérôme e Céline Colange (laboratory UMR CNRS 6266 IDEAS dell’Università di Rouen)
13.02 Macron voted to Touquet
Outgoing president Emmanuel Macron voted in Le Touquet, Pas-de-Calais department, for the ballot that sees him compete with Rassemblement National candidate Marine Le Pen. Before entering the polling station, the leader of En Marche greeted the crowd present on the spot. With him the first lady, Brigitte Macron.
12.36 Zemmour voted in Paris
Eric Zemmour, the far-right leader who stole first-round votes from Marine Le Pen but now invites her to choose her, voted a few minutes ago in Paris.
12.22 Nice, man stabs a priest and a nun and yells: “Macron must be killed”
“Macron must be killed”. IS the one who allegedly shouted the suspect stopped for stabbing a priest and a nun in a church in Nice, according to the newspaper Point. The man entered the church at around 10, shortly before the start of mass, and immediately headed for the priest, Krzyzstof Rudzinski, 57, of Polish origin, wounding him with at least 20 stab wounds. Then he turned to the nun, 72, slightly injured.
12.15 At 12 noon turnout at 26.41%, a slight increase compared to the first round
Turnout of 26.41% at 12 o’clock for the ballot between Emmanuel Macron and Marine Le Pen, a slight increase compared to the first round of the presidential elections, when, at the same time, 25.48% of the voters had voted. However, the figure is decreasing if we compare it to the turnout of the 2017 ballot which at 12 was 28.23%. The second turnout will be released at 5pm.
11.39 Marine Le Pen voted in her polling station in the north of France
Marine Le Pen voted in her constituency of Henin-Beaumont, in the department of Pas-de-Calais. The Rassemblement National candidate got over 35% of the votes in these lands in the first round of the presidential elections: it’s her fiefdom. Under the sun, she arrived surrounded by reporters indulging in a crowd bath with her supporters, who welcomed her with encouragement, kisses and hugs. The nationalist leader will have lunch with the mayor of this northern French town, Steve Briois, and another deputy friend. She will then return to Paris and after a brief visit to the headquarters she will go to the location chosen for the election evening, in the sixteenth arrondissement of the capital, precisely to the Bois de Boulogne. In case of victory, she planned a big party at the Place de la Concorde, because, she explained, she “serves concord in our country”.
10.56 Mélenchon voted in Marseille
The leader of La France Insoumise, Jean-Luc Mélenchon, who finished third in the first round of the French presidential elections, voted in Marseille for the ballot between Emmanuel Macron and Marine Le Pen. Mélenchon in the first round got 21.95% of the votes. The electorate of him could be decisive for the choice of the tenant of the Elysée. After the first round, the leader called for “not to give a single vote to Le Pen”, but he did not say to vote for Macron.
