French election: Emmanuel Macron in pole position to become president
Outsider tipped to beat Marine Le Pen in battle for France's political soul
Emmanuel Macron will face the Front National's Marine Le Pen for the French presidency after topping the country's first round of voting
Macron, a fresh-faced 39-year-old who began the race as a rank outsider, secured 24 per cent of the vote to become the moderates' hope to keep Le Pen out of the Elysees Palace in the second and final round of voting on 7 May.
A banker who served as a financial adviser in President Francois Hollande's administration in 2012, until Sunday Macron had never run for elected office.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
It has also been a remarkable race for Le Pen, whose efforts to detoxify the party she inherited from her father have paid off in spectacular fashion, winning the Front National 21.9 per cent of the first round vote, which was its best performance ever.
The surge in support for a nationalist, xenophobic party "incompatible with our values" is a "warning for the state of our democracy", says French daily Le Monde, and "must trigger… a stern rebuttal" from French voters next month.
Macron and Le Pen are the embodiment of the current state of France, politically polarised by gaping economic inequality, says Le Figaro's Mathieu Slama.
Macron's electorate is the France which is doing well, making money, hopeful for the future, he writes, meanwhile "Le Pen's France is the France that suffers, that worries about making ends meet at the end of the month."
But irrespective of whether it is Macron or Le Pen who ultimately triumphs, with the two major political parties shut out of the race for the first time in modern French history, "France is set upon a new political course", says The Guardian.
But it does leave French voters with a clear choice between hope and hate, says the paper: "France must stand up again in two weeks’ time and complete the job by electing Mr Macron."
But, although early polls are predicting a landslide victory over Le Pen next month, nothing is guaranteed, says Le Parisien.
In the final days of the campaign, Macron's lead over fellow candidates Francois Fillon and Jean-Luc Melenchon shrank dramatically as Macron-mania gave way to anxieties about his meteoric rise and glibly centrist platform.
With those questions still unanswered, "Macron knows he can't afford to put a foot wrong", says the paper.
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
It's not just ice quantity that climate change affects. It's also quality.
Under the Radar Ice is getting thinner and frailer
By Devika Rao, The Week US Published
-
What's behind Trump's last-minute merch push?
Today's Big Question With just weeks to go before the election, Donald Trump is spending the waning days of his campaign hawking a suite of new products, from silver coins to cryptocurrency
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Kamala Harris' plan to raise taxes on corporations and the wealthy
the explainer Tweaks, rather than sweeping overhauls, characterize the Democratic nominee's proposals
By David Faris Published
-
Putin's fixation with shamans
Under the Radar Secretive Russian leader, said to be fascinated with occult and pagan rituals, allegedly asked for blessing over nuclear weapons
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
A brief history of third parties in the US
In Depth Though none of America's third parties have won a presidential election, they have nonetheless had a large impact on the country's politics
By Joel Mathis, The Week US Published
-
Chimpanzees are dying of human diseases
Under the radar Great apes are vulnerable to human pathogens thanks to genetic similarity, increased contact and no immunity
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Deaths of Jesse Baird and Luke Davies hang over Sydney's Mardi Gras
The Explainer Police officer, the former partner of TV presenter victim, charged with two counts of murder after turning himself in
By Austin Chen, The Week UK Published
-
Quiz of The Week: 24 February - 1 March
Puzzles and Quizzes Have you been paying attention to The Week's news?
By Sorcha Bradley, The Week UK Published
-
Will mounting discontent affect Iran election?
Today's Big Question Low turnout is expected in poll seen as crucial test for Tehran's leadership
By Sorcha Bradley, The Week UK Published
-
Sweden clears final NATO hurdle with Hungary vote
Speed Read Hungary's parliament overwhelmingly approved Sweden's accession to NATO
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Modern royal scandals from around the world
The Explainer From Spain to the UAE, royal families have often been besieged by negative events
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published