24 April,2017 05:42 AM IST | | Agencies
France voted on Sunday in the first round of the presidential poll, amid high security following a deadly attack in Paris three days ago. This election is the most unpredictable presidential election in decades, with the outcome seen as vital for the future of the beleaguered European Union
Voters outside a polling station where Macron voted in Le Touquet. Pic/AFP
Paris: France voted on Sunday in the first round of the presidential poll, amid high security following a deadly attack in Paris three days ago. This election is the most unpredictable presidential election in decades, with the outcome seen as vital for the future of the beleaguered European Union.
Socio-liberal Emmanuel Macron, right-wing Marine Le Pen, conservative Francois Fillon and leftist Jean-Luc Melenchon are the leading candidates vying to qualify for the second round on May 7.
With nearly 47 million people eligible to vote across 66,500 polling stations, voting began at 8 am, although some overseas territories began the voting on Saturday. Voting ended at 8 pm, and exit polls were expected afterwards.
About 50,000 police and 7,000 soldiers were deployed across the country to secure polling. France has been under a state of emergency since the 2015 terror attacks in Paris.
