French election: Macron faces far-right challenge from Le Pen as France votes

The main challenge to Macron, 44, is coming from Marine Le Pen on the far right and Jean-Luc Mélenchon on the far left.

It is even predicted that the president could lose.

Voting booths close at 8 p.m. (1800 GMT), when the first, and usually reliable, exit polls will be published.

Polls published before a campaign blackout have suggested that the most likely outcome was an April 24 Macron-Le Pen runoff.

The anti-immigration, eurosceptic Le Pen, 53, has been boosted by a months-long focus on cost of living issues and falling support for her far-right rival, Eric Zemmour.

Philippe Bridou, a former Socialist voter in south-western city of Perpignan, told the BBC he had switched to the far right because “security is important, immigration is important too because it’s a subject now – and the left wing doesn’t discuss it”.

Janebond tweeted: “Crowds greeting Marine Le Pen, never seen anything like this for Macron, the tide is turning.”

https://twitter.com/Janebon34813396/status/1512915740076171268

And Yellow Vest protesters took to the streets of Paris, and other French cities, chanting “Get out Macron”.

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