Emmanuel Macron remains French President.
(Photo: AP)
Paris Emmanuel Macron remains French President. In the runoff election this Sunday, according to initial forecasts, the Liberal prevailed against right-wing challenger Marine Le Pen with 57.6 percent.
Polls had recently seen the incumbent ahead of the right-wing EU critic Le Pen, who ran for the third time to elect the highest state office for her Rassemblement National party.
A total of twelve candidates stood in the first ballot this year. Macron topped Le Pen on April 10 with 27.8 percent of the vote, who received 23.2 percent of the vote. Just behind was the left Jean-Luc Mélenchon with 22 percent.
In the run-off election, the question of who would win over more voters from foreign camps was decisive. The most important and largest group were the 7.7 million voters who voted for third-placed Mélenchon in the first round.
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In the first direct duel between Macron and Le Pen in the runoff of the 2017 presidential election, a broad front of voters was formed who wanted to prevent the right-wing victory at all costs. Macron won with around two thirds of the votes.
This year, too, numerous parties, eliminated candidates and social groups called for Macron to be elected. The left-wing candidate Mélenchon, however, did not.
According to the Ministry of the Interior, 63.23 percent of voters had cast their votes by 5 p.m. Voter turnout was thus almost 1.8 percentage points below the afternoon rate of the first election round on April 10. Participation has also declined compared to the presidential election five years ago. At that time, 65.3 percent had already voted in the second round by the afternoon.
Very different programs at Macron and Le Pen
The two candidates competed with very different programs. During the election campaign, Macron promised to aim for full employment in his second term. The 44-year-old wants to raise the retirement age and strengthen the innovative power of the French economy. He is sticking to his clear commitment to the European Union and close cooperation with Germany.
The right-wing candidate of the Rassemblement National lost to Macron in the runoff.
(Photo: dpa)
Marine Le Pen, on the other hand, once again campaigned with extreme and nationalist demands, even though she campaigned for a more moderate, middle-class image. She wanted the French to be given preferential treatment over foreigners in the constitution, for example with regard to social benefits and access to housing. In addition, Le Pen wanted to place national law above EU law and renegotiate the corresponding contracts. She openly questioned the hitherto important cooperation with Germany.
Not least because of this, the elections were watched with suspense in Berlin and Brussels. With Macron remaining in office, the EU can continue its unified course against Russia and in support of Ukraine for the time being.
More: Economy, Europe, Nato – The biggest differences between Emmanuel Macron and Marine Le Pen