early turnout low as france votes for new president
Last Updated : GMT 06:49:16
Arab Today, arab today
Arab Today, arab today
Last Updated : GMT 06:49:16
Arab Today, arab today

Early turnout low as France votes for new president

Arab Today, arab today

Arab Today, arab today Early turnout low as France votes for new president

A woman votes in the second round of 2017 French presidential election at a polling station in Lyon,
Paris - Arab today

French voters choose on Sunday whether a pro-European Union centrist or a eurosceptic, anti-immigration far-rightist will lead them for the next five years, with early figures indicating turnout could be low, but above most recent forecasts.

Opinion polls predict that after 8 p.m. (1800 GMT) Emmanuel Macron, a 39-year-old ex-economy minister who wants to bridge the left-right divide, will be named as president, seeing off the challenge from National Front leader Marine Le Pen

A Macron victory would further stem the tide of nativist, anti-globalisation voting outcomes like those that will see Britain quit the EU and which made Donald Trump U.S. president.

Macron, who wants to deregulate the economy and deepen EU integration, is set to win the head-to-head with between 61.5 and 63 per cent of the vote, according to the last opinion polls on Friday.

Should an upset occur and Le Pen win, the very future of the EU could be on the line given her desire to close borders, dump the euro currency, and tear up trade treaties.

Even in defeat, her vote is likely to be about twice what her party scored the last time it reached the presidential second round in 2002, demonstrating the scale of voter disaffection with mainstream politics in France.

Midday turnout figures from the Interior Ministry said 28.23 per cent of voters had turned out so far, the lowest at this stage of the day since the 2002 presidential poll, when it was 26.19 per cent.

Turnouts at midday in 2012 and 2007 were 30.66 per cent and 34.11 per cent respectively.

A poll on Friday had predicted a final turnout of 75 per cent this time.

The eventual turnouts in 2002, 2007 and 2012 were all above 80 per cent.

Pollsters see abstentions as likely to be highest among left-wing voters who feel disenfranchised by the second-round choice, but it is unclear what a high or low turnout could mean for the outcome.

Nevertheless, voter surveys forecasting the result itself proved accurate for the first round last month which eliminated nine other candidates in a tight race.

Markets have risen in response to Macron's widening lead over his rival after a bitter television debate on Wednesday.

"We increased our equity exposure and added some French stocks after the first round," said Francois Savary, chief investment officer at Geneva-based fund management firm Prime Partners.

"The major political risk of a Le Pen victory appears to be disappearing."

After a campaign in which favourites dropped out of the race one after the other, Le Pen is nevertheless closer to elected power than the far right has been in France since World War II.

If opinion polls prove accurate and the country elects its youngest-ever president rather than its first female leader, Macron himself has said himself he expects no honeymoon period.

Close to 60 per cent of those who plan to vote for Macron say they will do so to stop Le Pen from being elected to lead the euro zone's second-largest economy, rather than because they fully support the former banker turned politician.

"I don't necessarily agree with either of the candidates," psychotherapist Denise Dulliand, who was voting in Annecy in the mountainous southeast, told Reuters.

"But I wanted to express my voice, to be able to say that I came, even if I am really not satisfied with what is happening in our country, and that I would like to see less stupidity, less money and more fraternity."

The battle between mainstream and more radical policies in France will continue into parliamentary elections next month in which the new president will try to secure a majority in parliament.

One poll this week suggested that was within reach for Macron.

Much will also depend on how the candidates score on Sunday.

Le Pen's niece, Marion Marechal-Le Pen, on Thursday told L'Opinion daily that winning 40 per cent of the vote would be "a huge victory" for the National Front.

Whoever wins will open a new chapter in French politics, after the major left- and right-wing parties -- the Socialists and The Republicans -- that have ruled France for decades both suffered humiliating defeats in the election's first round.

The campaign was hit by yet another surprise on Friday night, just as the quiet period in which politicians are forbidden from commenting began.

Macron's team said a massive hack had dumped emails, documents and campaign-financing information online.

Exit polls will be published when voting ends at 8 pm (1800 GMT).

With security a prime concern More than 50,000 police officers were on duty on Sunday.

A series of militant attacks in Paris, Nice and elsewhere in France have killed more than 230 people in recent years.

 

Source: Timesofoman

arabstoday
arabstoday

Name *

E-mail *

Comment Title*

Comment *

: Characters Left

Mandatory *

Terms of use

Publishing Terms: Not to offend the author, or to persons or sanctities or attacking religions or divine self. And stay away from sectarian and racial incitement and insults.

I agree with the Terms of Use

Security Code*

early turnout low as france votes for new president early turnout low as france votes for new president

 



Name *

E-mail *

Comment Title*

Comment *

: Characters Left

Mandatory *

Terms of use

Publishing Terms: Not to offend the author, or to persons or sanctities or attacking religions or divine self. And stay away from sectarian and racial incitement and insults.

I agree with the Terms of Use

Security Code*

early turnout low as france votes for new president early turnout low as france votes for new president

 



GMT 12:11 2017 Thursday ,27 July

Tony Baroud to present new TV show

GMT 23:00 2017 Monday ,16 October

Egypt FM to head for Slovenia on Monday

GMT 20:06 2017 Friday ,20 January

Daesh in new demolitions at Syria’s Palmyra

GMT 21:06 2017 Friday ,24 November

Marriyum condemns Hayatabad terrorists attack

GMT 01:00 2017 Saturday ,25 November

Cabinet Affairs Minister Meets Indonesian Ambassador

GMT 02:34 2018 Thursday ,04 January

Merger creates state-owned gas giant

GMT 10:08 2017 Tuesday ,07 March

Geneva farce: The regime is the opposition

GMT 10:19 2017 Saturday ,18 November

AJK Prime Minister condemns across LoC shelling

GMT 11:34 2017 Wednesday ,22 March

33 Syrians killed in Air raid on Raqqa’s school

GMT 11:03 2017 Wednesday ,01 March

Asala declares her solidarity with George Wassouf

GMT 17:57 2017 Wednesday ,11 October

Mideast nations turn to private sector

GMT 14:11 2016 Wednesday ,30 November

Tunisia wins billion-dollar pledges to boost economy

GMT 23:41 2017 Tuesday ,26 September

Qatar laborer ‘sacked’ after speaking to UN team

GMT 04:28 2017 Tuesday ,21 March

Enrique Iglesias to headline Bahrain F1
Arab Today, arab today
 
 Arab Today Facebook,arab today facebook  Arab Today Twitter,arab today twitter Arab Today Rss,arab today rss  Arab Today Youtube,arab today youtube  Arab Today Youtube,arab today youtube

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2021 ©

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2021 ©

arabstoday arabstoday arabstoday arabstoday
arabstoday arabstoday arabstoday
arabstoday
بناية النخيل - رأس النبع _ خلف السفارة الفرنسية _بيروت - لبنان
arabstoday, Arabstoday, Arabstoday