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With polling stations set up in municipalities and schools across France, French post offices confirming that they have sent the leaflets with the programmes of the 13 candidates to the 48.7 million French voters, the first round of the presidential election takes place in the country today.
The top two of the 13 candidates will advance to the second round of the presidential election to be held on 24 April.
Re-election candidate Emmanuel Macron appears to be leading with over 26%, while his rival Marine Le Pen appears to be hovering around 23%. However, in recent days there has been a surge in favour of the National Front candidate, with the result that the gap between the two, which a few weeks ago was over 10% in favour of Macron, has closed considerably. However, the abstention rate is expected to play a significant role, and any increase in it could be to the detriment of both Le Pen and Mélenchon. Le Pen because she is largely voted for by workers and employees, social categories with an increased tendency to abstain. Melanson because he is largely voted for by people under the age of 30 who show the same tendencies.
Political analysts accuse Emmanuel Macron of being "lazy" in the way he conducts his election campaign, while Marine Le Pen has infuriated France.
Political analysts accuse Macron of being "lazy" in the way he conducts his election campaign, while Marine Le Pen has infuriated France.
The French president has admitted that because of Ukraine he has not been very actively involved in the election period. However, in recent days he has upped the ante against Le Pen, accusing her of promoting far-right and xenophobic positions as well as her ties to Putin's Russia. On the other hand, Marine Le Pen appears to be cultivating a more conciliatory image, avoiding the far-right slogans of the past and accusing Emmanuel Macron of failure on domestic issues.
The election campaign of all parties, however,[/B] focused on issues such as the reduction of purchasing power, pensions and the management of the state.[/B] The Ukrainian issue was among the topics discussed during the election period with Macron attributing pro-Russian positions to Le Pen, Gemour and Mélenchon. The issues which are completely absent from the French electoral debate are the large public debt in terms of domestic issues and global warming in terms of international issues.
As for the other candidates, Jean-Luc Mélenchon, who is positioned on the radical left, is also showing momentum. However, no poll shows him above 20%. For the fourth and fifth position, French centre-right Valerie Pecres and far-right Eric Jemour[/B], who was accused on Friday night of showing falsified polls, are fighting for the fourth and fifth position.
Around 5%, Ecologist candidate Yannick Jadeau appears to be hovering around 2% to 3%, while Fabienne Roussel and Anne Idalgo appear to be between 2% and 3%, candidates of the former leading parties of the French left, namely the Communist and Socialist parties.
From midnight on Friday until the polls close at 21.00 Cyprus time, there is a so-called "radio silence", meaning that all election activity is prohibited.
In France, voting by proxy is allowed
and there are French people who will not be allowed to vote. These are the 4,500 French people living in Shanghai, China where, as we know, there is now a curfew because of the coronavirus outbreak. In France, however, voters are not obliged to wear a mask, while those who have coronavirus will be able to go and vote. That is why the halls will be ventilated at regular intervals, as announced by the authorities.
Source: APE-MPE
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