Favorite Macron, with Le Pen on his heels

This Sunday is the first round of the French presidential electionin which the current tenant of the Elysee, Emmanuel Macron, will be measured in a triple with more than a dozen candidates. Three candidates on the right side of the political spectrum stand out in this group: Marine LePen (National Group), Eric Zemmour (Reconquest) and Valerie Pecresse (The Republicans). To a lesser extent, we will also have to look at the results of the left Jean-Luc Melenchon (Non-submissive France).

The electoral colleges They open at 8am and close at 7pm. In the overseas territories, the elections are next Saturday, April 9 to prevent their data from delaying the final count due to the difference in time zones and the results could be known as early as Sunday evening.

Total, more than 48 million people they are called to participate in a process that will be a starting point for the general renewal of the institutions.

After the results of this first round, April 24 the second and final vote will be held. After the Constitutional Council has validated the results, Apr 28, is officially announced new president of the french republic

And in June, the country will hold parliamentary elections, either with Macron or with a new president in the Elysee.

Emmanuel Macron (The Republic on the Move)

Macron is no longer the newcomer he was in 2017 blow up traditional matches right away newly minted timepiece, The Republic on the Move, which would eventually also dominate the parliamentary atmosphere. Now it is presented with the approval of the five years passed and with the message that there is still work to be done, even to establish itself as a leader within the EU.

The announcement of his candidacy was in fact first delayed by the covid-19 pandemic and then at the beginning of the Ukrainian war, such that it only arrived a few hours before the deadline. His clear messages against Moscow and his mediation efforts seem to have satisfied much of the electorate, a sort of “flag effect” that draws voters to the side of the leader in times of crisis.

The current president has practically secured his position in a runoff election with a intention to vote between 28% and 34% The key question is: which candidate will challenge Macron for the presidency?

Marine Le Pen (National Ensemble)

The right-wing candidate has been associated with the National Front since childhood, a party that Jean-Marie Le Pen, her father, has led since its foundation. In 2011, Marine Le Pen replaced him as party chairman. That year he ran for the French presidency, finishing third in the first round. In 2017, he contested the second round against Macron, gaining a third of the vote.

With a strategy of temperance, the candidate has forged an image as a defender of the most popular classes. He has managed to lead his party to win the European in 2019 and get good results in the municipal in 2020 and the regional in 2021. Le Pen has shown a more moderate face contrary to his father’s policy. However, he maintains the party’s cues on immigration and traditionalism.

Most French consider the purchasing power as the most important factor in determining their vote, in favor of the health system, the environment and immigration. Le Pen bets on the lower taxes on fuel and electricity Likewise, he has proposed an exceptional tax on the huge profits of the macro-energy companies.

The candidate denies that France is a member of the European Unionand proposes the leaving the country from NATO She was a member of the European Parliament from 2004 to 2017, the year she joined the French National Assembly.

Marine LePen. Photo: EFE

Jean-Luc Mélenchon (Submissive France)

The progressive candidate is the left’s favorite in the polls. It will be his third attempt at the first round after failing Le Pen’s 600,000 votes in 2017.

Mélenchon has also focused his election speech on price increases. The candidate chooses to a limit on the fuel price

In addition, it proposes an increase in the minimum wage to €1,400 net (which amounts to an increase of 200 euros), the reduction of the retirement age from 62 to 60 years and the reduction of the working day from 35 to 32 hours per week.

The insumiso also has an international program with important points: the France’s departure from NATO and reform the founding treaties of the European Union. Mélenchon has lowered his Eurocritical positions apart from the exit from the EU.

Although the French left has presented itself fragmented to the elections, Mélenchon has managed to position itself as the best alternative, opting for a possible run-off with Macron.

Jean-Luc Mélenchon was part of the left wing of the Socialist Party for many years and became a senator and Minister of Vocational Education. In 2008 he founded the Left Party. Since then, he has been a member of the National Assembly and the European Parliament.

Jean Luc Melenchon. Photo: EFE

Eric Zemmour (Reconquest)

Éric Zemmour is a journalist and talk show host known for its radical views and opinions Late last year, he dropped the idea of ​​running for president and found he had a place on the far right. One of Zemmour’s proposals is based on the mass expulsion of foreigners; places great emphasis on immigration policy.

It attracted a lot of attention in the early polls. However, the intention to vote for Reconquest has stagnated in the coming months, as immigration has lost importance in the public debate.

Last February, at a meeting in Lille, the candidate left the speech on immigration and security, focusing on purchasing power, an essential factor for the French. However, criticism of immigration is still valid in his speeches; does not hesitate to blame Muslim immigrants for the deterioration of the socio-economic situation. In this matter, Zemmour’s proposals are based on the lower taxes and social spending

The controversial candidate has criticized European integration and is determined to NATO

Eric Zemmour. Photo: @ZemmourEric (Twitter)