Progressive-liberal incumbent President Emmanuel Macron faces off against conservative challenger Marine Le Pen as the winner-takes-all French Presidency runoff is set to begin. Macron and the far-right nationalist Marine Le Pen both moved ahead in the 1st round on Sunday in France’s Presidential elections, setting up another direct clash of sharply divided visions for the future of France.
The Previous contest went to Macron in 2017 when he won comfortably and became the youngest president of France at 39. In the current election, Macron was ahead in the 1st round on Sunday. But then the runoff, which is a fresh round within a coming couple of weeks, is expected to be a hard-fought one against his nemesis, the 53-year-old Marine Le Pen.
Marine Le Pen is shrewd and more practical even as she makes a 3rd effort to become the 1st woman president of France. She has in recent years rebranded herself as being less extreme and more realistic and reasonable. And her sustained efforts showed in the ballot box on Sunday.
Marine Le Pen Toned Down Her Radical Stance Against Immigrants In This Election
Earlier Macron accused Marine Le Pen of promoting a radical manifesto of ruinous and racist policies. While the latter has advocated rolling back certain rights for French Muslims, such as banning women from putting on headscarves and halting all immigration from countries outside Europe.
Marine Le Pen gave her best performance till now with around 24% of the votes against 27% for Macron. Far-left candidate Jean-Luc Melenchon came in third with 21% of the votes and missed the 2-candidate runoff.
The French President has also bettered his performance in 2017 even though he has faced sustained turbulence ahead of the elections on both the international and domestic front. The crisis in Ukraine has thrown a shadow over his campaign. Polls have suggested that it would be a close run between him and Marine Le Pen to the finishing line.
Macron has already moved in with full force and reminded supporters that the runoff would be a decisive battle for France and much remains to be done.
Macron said that Marine Le Pen was trying to move France towards xenophobes and populists. He promised to be in touch with those working for the nation and assured supporters that he would implement projects of openness, progress, and independence.
