Ballots open in France for the first round of the presidential elections. About 48.7 million voters are called to vote to decide among the 12 candidates for the presidency of the Republic.
We are moving towards a new Macron-Le Pen duel in the ballot, as 5 years ago, with the difference that this time it will be a challenge to the last vote: just 2 points separate the contenders in the first round (26% against 24% for the latest polls ), as many per second (51% to 49%). A possible ballot is scheduled for April 24th. The only one who still believes he can overturn the table is Jean-Luc Mélenchon, the tribune of the radical left given in the last hours in spectacular growth at 17-18%.
A guest of stone is abstention, which according to pollsters will exceed 28.4% as of April 21, 2002. There is talk of over 30%, a result currently feared most of all by Marine Le Pen, who calls for mobilization.
His right wing is for the first time really at the gates of the Elysée, in an election marked by the pandemic and the war in Ukraine and which has left almost absolute room for wages to increase, minimum pensions, subsidies.
The leader of the Rassemblement National has presented herself with a mild image, even coming in recent days to re-propose for herself the slogan of the "quiet force" that was of the socialists at the time of François Mitterrand. No tensions, no gaffes, no aggressive proclamations, she invaded social networks with her reassuring images close to her beloved kittens, or with Ingrid, her childhood friend who now lives with her. At the center of the campaign he put the daily and subsistence concerns of families, the elderly, and young people, leaving the workhorses of the far right, from immigration to security, to area competitor Eric Zemmour.
Macron, who entered the electoral campaign only in the last few weeks and the protagonist of only one big rally last week, has launched appeals, but the enthusiasm and freshness are not those of 5 years ago and the president appeared marked by experience and by failure of his initial mandate commitment to ensure that "the French no longer go to extremes".
(Unioneonline / D)