Macron to face Le Pen in French election run off
Incumbent Emmanuel Macron and conservative firebrand Marine Le Pen have set the stage for a head-to-head battle to determine the French presidency, later this month, after emerging as the leaders from Sunday’s first round.
Projections by polling firms showed that Macron garnered as much as 28.4% of the votes, exceeding the maximum estimate of 24.2% for Le Pen. Socialist candidate Jean-Luc Mélenchon came in third, at around 21%, while anti-immigration campaigner Eric Zemmour finished a distant fourth at 7%.
The first official results from France’s Interior Ministry actually showed Le Pen’s count exceeding Macron’s. However, as tallies from Paris and other urban areas were not were yet available, the early numbers were likely skewed in Le Pen’s favor. With 84% of the votes counted, Macron was slightly ahead with 27,41% against Le Pen’s 25,41%.
France’s election system requires a candidate to win a majority of votes to secure the presidency without a runoff – a tall order when there’s a crowded field, such as this year’s 12-person race. The top two vote-getters are now set to square off on April 24.