The battle for the second round of the presidential elections in France begins today between the pro-European, centrist candidate Emanuel Macron and the far-right Marine Le Pen, two candidates who separate everything, but with themselves claiming to embody the rupture "with the system ».
After a months-long election campaign full of upheavals, the 39-year-old Macron garnered 23,86% of the vote in the first round and managed to finish in first place. Lepen followed with 21,43%, collecting almost 7 million votes, a historic record for the National Front.
The supporters of the two candidates accepted the result with outbursts of joy. "We are living in a historic moment when we finally have a candidate coming out of the bipartisanship who is going to renew the political scene and that is good news for Europe," said Kentin, a young woman who supports Macron.
"I waited for years, they insulted us, they called us Nazis, but in the end people opened their eyes!", Said for his part an FN supporter, Aldrik Evezar.
The first round of the presidential election, which was marked by high turnout, which reached almost 80% and was held under tight security due to the terrorist threat, was marked by the exclusion of the two traditional parties of the right and the left. This is the first time this has happened since the founding of the 5th Republic in 1958.
Macron is more likely to win in the second round, with much of the French political scene, either right or left, supporting him to prevent a far-right victory. François Fillon and Benoit Amon have already stated their support for him.
Outgoing Socialist President Francois Hollande congratulated his former economy minister, who resigned in August 2016 to form the "Forward!" Movement, which "belongs neither to the right nor to the left," and to run for the House of Commons. Ηλυσίων.
At stake in the second round are Europe and globalization.
Macron, speaking to supporters, assured that "I will convey the voice of hope" for France and "for Europe" and added that he wanted to be "the president of the patriots in the face of the nationalist threat".
"The big stake in these elections is the savage globalization that is endangering our culture," Lepen said. "Either we continue on the path of complete deregulation, or you will choose France," she told her supporters, calling herself "the candidate of the people."
Le Pen is in favor of France leaving the eurozone and wants to hold a referendum on the country's stay in the EU.
As of today, the two candidates are starting their campaign again. Macron will have "political meetings", according to his environment, that is, negotiations with the left and the right to discuss the terms they set to support him and prepare an open government. Because the parliamentary elections on June 11 and 18 are the third decisive round, according to the Athens News Agency.
Source: Newsbeast