By Chris King • Updated: 09 Jun 2022 • 5:35
The people of France went to the elections today, Sunday, April 10. According to estimates made by Ipsos Steria for France Televisions, Radio France, and Le Monde, among other media, Emmanuel Macron received 27.6 per cent of the votes, while Marine Le Pen polled 23 per cent.
Pending the final count, these predictions confirm that Macron wins the first round of the elections by a margin of almost five points. Recent polls predicted a much closer result. In the 2017 election, Macron won with 24 per cent of the vote, compared to 21.3 per cent for the far-right politician, Le Pen.
Jean-Luc Melencho, from the left, is estimated to have obtained 22.2 per cent of the ballots, a much higher percentage than the polls predicted. The other candidates lagged far behind these top three.
Turnout in this first round of the French presidential elections, as of 5pm, was 65 per cent, according to the Ministry of the Interior. That is the lowest figure since the 2002 elections, thus confirming earlier fears of an increase in abstention.
The announcement of the results coincided with calls from most of the defeated candidates to establish a new “cordon sanitaire”, to prevent the possibility of far-right politician Le Pen becoming the head of state in the second round on April 24.
Both candidates rushed to ask for the support of those who had not voted for them, after learning of the estimated result. Amid loud cheering from his supporters, Macron extended his hand “to everyone”, assuring he was willing to “invent something new to unite diverse convictions and sensitivities” ahead of the second round.
An exultant Le Pen pointed out to the public that she and the president represent “two different visions of society”, calling for unity. “All those who have not voted for Macron are invited to join this unification”, as reported by cadenaser.com.
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Originally from Wales, Chris spent years on the Costa del Sol before moving to the Algarve where he is a web reporter for The Euro Weekly News covering international and Spanish national news. Got a news story you want to share? Then get in touch at editorial@euroweeklynews.com
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