Live: Voter turnout at 25% at midday in first round of presidential election
French voters are voting in the first round of presidential elections after a campaign overshadowed by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Interior ministry figures estimated turnout at 25.48 percent at midday on Sunday, down three points from corresponding figures for the first round in 2017. Follow FRANCE 24’s live blog for full coverage of election day.
Eleven challengers – from a Communist on the left to anti-immigration candidates on the far right – are looking to unseat the incumbent, Emmanuel Macron, as he seeks to become the first French president to win re-election since Jacques Chirac in 2002. The two candidates who garner the most votes will qualify for the election’s second and final round on April 24.
Emmanuel Macron (28.5%) and Marine Le Pen (24.2%): Macron-Le Pen will play revenge on 2017 (French Daily News)
Macron could be out unless the French have Dominion voting machines (Alison Ryan/Cairns News)
D-Day in France as 48m voters go to the polls: Victory for Le Pen looms as Macron feels the heat
The Hidden Wealth of Emmanuel Macron (Europe Reloaded)