French people begin voting for president

French people today began voting in the first round of a presidential election that is seen as crucial to the future of Europe.

French people line up to vote at the French consulate in New York, USA. Photo: Reuters.

Polling stations for the first round of the French presidential election have opened, amid tight security following recent terrorist attacks in Paris, according to the Independent.

France's overseas territories and French citizens in the United States and Canada will vote from April 22. Of France's nearly 47 million voters, nearly a million live in remote areas such as Polynesia in the South Pacific and Guadeloupe, Guiana and Martinique in the Caribbean. They will vote early so as not to be affected by the results in France.

Fearing a possible terrorist attack, France has deployed more than 50,000 police and gendarmes to protect 70,000 polling stations, and 7,000 soldiers on patrol.

Eleven candidates for the French presidency will compete in this election. According to the latest survey results, support for the two right-wing candidates Marine Le Pen and the left-wing Jean-Luc Melenchon has increased sharply.

After the first round, only two candidates advanced to the second round of voting on May 7. The top four candidates were neck and neck, with support for former prime minister Francois Fillon, the center-left candidate, and Melenchon only 2-3% behind Le Pen and Emmanuel Macron, the moderate candidate.

11 French presidential candidates. From left to right, top row includes candidates Nathalie Arthaud, Francois Asselineau, Jacques Cheminade, Nicolas Dupont-Aignan, Francois Fillon. Bottom row includes Benoit Hamon, Jean Lassalle, Marine Le Pen, Emmanuel Macron, Jean-Luc Melenchon, Philippe Poutou. Photo: Reuters.

According to VNE