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France's Macron and Le Pen head for cliffhanger April 24 election runoff

Published 04/09/2022, 08:09 PM
Updated 04/10/2022, 08:27 PM
© Reuters. FILE PHOTO: French President Emmanuel Macron, candidate for his re-election in the 2022 French presidential election, speaks with supporters during a campaign trip in Spezet, France, Avril 5, 2022. REUTERS/Stephane Mahe/File Photo

© Reuters. FILE PHOTO: French President Emmanuel Macron, candidate for his re-election in the 2022 French presidential election, speaks with supporters during a campaign trip in Spezet, France, Avril 5, 2022. REUTERS/Stephane Mahe/File Photo

By Layli Foroudi, Tassilo Hummel and Ingrid Melander

PARIS (Reuters) -French leader Emmanuel Macron and challenger Marine Le Pen qualified on Sunday for what promises to be a very tightly fought presidential election runoff on April 24, pitting a pro-European economic liberal against a far-right nationalist.

With partial results putting Macron in first place ahead of Le Pen after the first-round voting, other major candidates admitted defeat. Except for another far-right candidate, Eric Zemmour, they all urged voters to block the far-right in the second round.

But after five years in power in which his abrasive style has upset many, while Le Pen succeeded in softening her image, Macron will have to fight hard to win back disgruntled voters. He cannot take it for granted that voters will rally around a traditional anti-far right front.

"Nothing is decided, and the battle we will wage in the next 15 days will be decisive for France and Europe," Macron told supporters, urging all voters to rally behind him on April 24th to stop the far-right from ruling the European Union's second-largest economy.

Ifop pollsters predicted a very tight runoff, with 51% for Macron and 49% for Le Pen. The gap is so tight that victory either way is within the margin of error.

Other pollsters offered a slightly bigger margin in favour of Macron, with up to 54%. But that was in any case much narrower than in 2017, when Macron beat Le Pen with 66.1% of the votes.

Le Pen, who had eaten into Macron's once-commanding 10-point poll lead in recent weeks thanks to a campaign focused on cost-of-living issues said she was the one to protect the weak and unite a nation tired of its elite.

"What will be at stake on April 24 is a choice of society, a choice of civilisation," she told supporters, who chanted "We will win!" as she told them: "I will bring order back to France."

Macron, meanwhile, told supporters waving French and EU flags: "The only project that is credible to help purchasing power is ours."

"DISASTROUS"

With 96% of the votes counted for Sunday's first round, Macron garnered 27.41% of the votes and Le Pen 24.03%. A near total count of the vote was expected for later in the night.

A Le Pen victory on April 24 would be a similar jolt to the establishment as Britain's Brexit vote to leave the European Union (EU) or Donald Trump's 2017 entry into the White House.

France would lurch from being a driving force for European integration to being led by a euro-sceptic who is also suspicious of the NATO military alliance.

While Le Pen has ditched past ambitions for a "Frexit" or to haul France out of the euro zone's single currency, she envisages the EU as a mere alliance of sovereign states.

Conservative candidate Valerie Pecresse warned of "disastrous consequences" if Macron lost, while the Socialists' Anne Hidalgo urged supporters to vote for him "so that France does not fall into hatred."

"Not one vote for Le Pen!" added hard-left candidate Jean-Luc Melenchon, who, according to the estimates, placed third with around 20% of the votes.

But they all also had very harsh words for Macron and some of the very unpopular policies of his first mandate as well as an abrasive style that has put off many voters.

"Emmanuel Macron played with fire," Pecresse told supporters.

"PAY ATTENTION"

Zemmour acknowledged disagreements with Le Pen, but said Macron was a worse choice.

Barely a month ago, Macron seemed on course for a comfortable re-election that, riding high in polls thanks to strong economic growth, a fragmented opposition and his statesman role in trying to avert war in Ukraine on Europe's eastern flank.

But he paid a price for late entry into the campaign during which he eschewed market walkabouts in provincial France in favour of a single big rally outside Paris. A plan to make people work longer also proved unpopular, enabling Le Pen to narrow the gap.

Le Pen, an open admirer of Russian President Vladimir Putin until his invasion of Ukraine, had for months toured towns and villages across France. She focused on cost-of-living issues troubling millions and tapped into anger toward rulers.

© Reuters. Supporters of French President Emmanuel Macron, candidate for his re-election, react after early results in the first round of the 2022 French presidential election, in Paris, France April 10, 2022. REUTERS/Benoit Tessier

"Marine Le Pen knew how to talk to people about their more concrete problems. During the next two weeks he (Macron) will have to pay more attention to what is happening in France, take a diplomatic break," said Adrien Thierry, a 23-year old Macron supporter.

As the vote count progressed, Melenchon's score rose to close to Le Pen's, with 21.57% of the votes, while none of the others were in the double-digits, leading some supporters to briefly hope for a change in the final line-up, which eventually seemed out of reach.

Latest comments

le pen represents the hateful fascist ideology of cretins like putler, orban, bolsonaro, trump etc. that the good and sane people of this world must fight against in order to secure our freedom and the survival of our species
I don't understand why every single article describes Le Pen as "far right". Read her policies. They sound just like US 1960s liberal ideas. Lower retirement age. No tax on necessary items. No income tax for workers under 30 to give them a chance to get ahead. Nothing radical or "far right" here. Maybe compared to normal French politics this is "far right". I don't see it though.
I seem to remember the great friendship and financial support le pen got from putin her opposition to EU and the EURO….And now she a born again christian with new opinion because she found out that there are no votes in loving putin and be against EU
Damn right Ken
If you put your country first Iike Ieaders shouId you are deemed a racsit
2 authoritarians Marxists
lierssssss Euro circusssss macron save euro circusssss hahahaha funny junk
Le Penn : un jeste.
Also, note that the left & right is the same. Its main purpose is to condition and divide the people instead of uniting.
Uh no, the left if for expanding government and the right is for limiting government. Very simple so average pin head understands. Forget all the other nonsense you see means nothing.
lmao the right loves to expand government. Last balanced budget was under clinton rofl
Left & right is the same. It’s purpose is to condition and divide people. Also, macron is a clown.
save euro circusssss haha save euro junk this is eurozone is the biggest circusssss ever
Be aware of the traitors in die midst. They who speak of invisible enemies, they who blame all their misery on others, they who install fear instead of vision as a political agenda, they who divide instead of unite. They will not change once they grab power. And therefore will lead you into damnation. As has always been, and always wil be. Be aware. Nice Sunday!
"Micron" Will loose
you really think EU/ Davos will allow legitimate elections ruin their plans ?
The establishment is terrified of people who aren't part of their system.
hope le pen wins ....time for a change
le pen is completely in putins pocket. hope the french voters are not stupid enough to resurrect vichy france
Le Pen a victory is welcome for democracy
Micron is food friend of Putin he is already in his pocket.
"Micron is already"
I would loooove to see this little weasel sent packing..
john l You're a little cuck to fascist everywhere aren't you?
investing.com's censorship is broader than Twitter. history proves censorship is always a bad idea, in the long run. and, the policies of censorship always have an angle to them that are themselves a violation of the basic civil right of free speech. you become what you judge.
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