A year ago, the French presidential election sounded like a foregone conclusion. Macron and Le Pen, more than 15 points ahead of all their competitors in opinion polls, seemed to advance towards an inevitable run-off. Then, Le Pen decreased, and Macron flew away. Just last month, he had more than double the voting intentions of all his competitors in both rounds.
However, the game is not over. Three candidates are within the margin of error to qualify for the second round. Run-off scenarios have never been this tight since the start of Macron’s term. The political spectrum has remained very uncertain since the collapse of bipartisanship. Today’s election will probably play a significant role in redefining it.
Will Macron maintain his electoral base? What will be the balance of power of the left-of-centre parties, in negotiation for new alliances? Four candidates claim the union of the right; will one succeed in subduing the others?
Follow the results as they come in below while our live blog keeps you company throughout the election day with all the latest updates.
