Predicted result of the first round of the French presidential election – comments from the British and American press.
French President Emmanuel Macron and far-right candidate Marine Le Pen will face off in the second round of France’s presidential election, according to the British newspaper The Independent. The publication quotes the words of the third-ranked far-left candidate Jean-Luc Melanchon, who said: “There should be no more votes for Le Pen in the second round.”
In France, a disputed runoff between Macron and Le Pen is imminent, writes the British edition of the Guardian. The paper said Macron was positioning himself as a pro-European “progressive” in what the president said was an anti-Muslim, nationalist program shared by Le Pen and a stalemate against Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The British edition notes that Macron has a comfortable lead of 27.6 percent compared to 23.4 percent for Le Pen, according to opinion polls, and achieved a better result in the first round than in the 2017 election, the Guardian said that the result Le Pen is also higher than in the election five years ago. She garnered support with her campaign to overcome the crisis of high household spending and inflation.
The publication notes that none of the candidates, except the far-right TV presenter Eric Zemur, supported Le Pen for the second round.
The newspaper quoted Macron as saying to reporters: “When the far right in all its forms receives such representation in France, we cannot say that everything is fine, so we must go out and convince people with a lot of humility and respect for those who did not support us in the first round “. The President addressed his supporters with the words: “Do not be fooled, nothing has been decided yet and the debate we will have in the next two weeks will be decisive for the country and Europe.”
Le Pen, for his part, accused Macron of sowing “division and chaos” and called on “all those who did not vote for him” to support her.
The publication notes that it is now crucial to whom the votes for Melanchon will go in the second round, who called not to vote for Le Pen.
The newspaper points out that in the last election, most left-wing voters voted for Macron in the second round, just so as not to win Le Pen.
According to the Financial Times, the results of the first round of elections show that Le Pen has never been closer to gaining power for the far right in France and following in the footsteps of Donald Trump in the United States and Brexit supporters in Britain. France would be a precedent.
The newspaper said Le Pen was Eurosceptic, said she would withdraw France from NATO command structures in the past, and expressed admiration for Vladimir Putin. The publication notes that if she wins the election, it will be a shock to the whole of Europe and the world at a time when the Russian invasion of Ukraine is underway.
According to the Financial Times, the results of the first round of elections show a collapse in support for traditional parties on the left and right, such as the Socialists and the Republicans, and a rise in the far right.
Macron argues that electing Le Pen as president will be dangerous for France, the European Union, and the West, and has criticized her protectionist economic agenda as inconsistent and unfundable, the paper said. His program includes continuing reforms, cutting taxes to modernize the economy, and attracting foreign investment while boosting employment, the paper said.
The Washington Post also predicts a much-contested battle in the second round of France’s presidential election.
According to the publication, the results of the first round show Macron’s disappointment with the rise in consumer spending, but also reflect Le Pen’s attempt to present himself as more moderate.
The newspaper quoted Le Pen as saying in front of her supporters that the second round would be a “choice for society and civilization” in which the French want to live.
Some of the dropped candidates immediately called on their supporters to vote for Macron to thwart a victory for Le Pen, the publication notes. Among them are Fabian Russell, Anne Hidalgo, and Yannick Jado, as well as center-right candidate Valerie Pecres, whose polls say voters are more likely to support Le Pen.
The newspaper said Macron would have the difficult task of convincing voters to support him in the remaining two weeks until the second round on April 24.
