The French took advantage of the day to vote as a family and discuss one of the most decisive and tireless presidential elections in its history at lunch. When the abstention decided whether centrist Emmanuel Macron or the far -right Marine Le Pen won this ballot, the turnout was 63.2 percent of 17 local time, two points lower than in the first round.

Marine LePen was the first to vote at 11 a.m., in Henin Beaumont, his district in Pas de Calais. Wearing a black tail and a beige silk shirt, she came on foot and leaned back in her new style. Smiles, selfies, greetings at the polling station. To follow tradition: lunch at the house of Steeve Briois, his advisor, before leaving for Paris, at the National Regrouping headquarters. .

If he wins, the project will tour Paris on a double-decker bus. If he is defeated, the festival is easily disarmed and lost at his home in Boulogne.

Emmanuel and Brigitte Macron they voted together on the beach in Touquet, where he inherited a family villa facing the sea in Normandy and had their electoral domicile. A ritual performed by the couple on the five they were in power. The president is very superstitious and he even greets the same people when he enters the polling place.

The caravan took him in his armored van to the Hall of the Four Seasons, where the mayor of Touquet and his supporters were waiting for him. Hugs, kisses, selfies. A 40 minute ceremony before entering the dark room, that isIt has the colors of the French flag.

He was wearing a beige and he was in a blue suit, with his red decoration on his buttonhole. A hyper presidential image. Family breakfast to return to the Elysee Palace to await the votes and if he wins, celebrate on the Champ de Mars, in front of the Eiffel Tower.

Revenge of Ni

The left has revenge on this ballot, after they failed to reach second place. Sweeped out of the first round of the presidential election, he was able to return to the debate in the second round by imposing his themes. Great hand trick. An attempted ballot inauguration.

On the night of April 10, Socialists and Communists represented only 4% of the electorate. To ecologists, this percentage painfully reaches 8.66%. Jean-Luc Mélenchon newsletters need to be added to reach the total 30.6%.

Emmanuel Macron and Marine Le Pen are convinced that Jean-Luc Mélenchon voters hold the key to the vote today. While the abstentionists need to be convinced.

Jean Luc Mélenchon called not to give a voice to “Madame Le Pen” but he did not ask to vote for Emmanuel. So he created Ni, (neither one nor the other), a new generation of politicians under the age of 25, who hated Macron, hated Le Pen and refused to vote for any of them. The election in France is at stake tonight on the republican conscience of these young people.

In the neighborhood of “Bobos”

The XI district of Paris was the kingdom of Bobos, the bohemian bourgeoisie, who voted for Jean Luc Mélenchon. On Rue Keller, Jean Paul waits in line to vote. For a week he argued with his wife, with his friends, in networks “a useful vote”.

“It’s true that the choice is” plague or cholera. “Macron is arrogant, authoritarian, who doesn’t listen to anyone and has only ambition for power. This is how he has governed these five years. Le Pen is still a secret fascist. she’s a great style designer, make-up artist and they taught him how to manage debate and how to manage his anger.

That’s why we have this “recycled Marine”. But it is still a dangerous candidate. That’s why I chose to vote Republican and Macron is what I chose ”explained the graphic designer.

This is not the opinion of Sylvie, her nurse husband, who is in the Covid epidemic, at the foot of the canyon at St Antoine hospital. “My vote is blank. It was a protest vote. France wants change and that is why they reject traditional parties. The only option is Mélenchon. Hopefully in the legislature, he can get enough legislators to be prime minister ”said the nurse, heroes of the pandemic.

And the conservatives?

Republicans also evaporated in this first round. Its leader Valerie Pecresse called to vote for Macron but many of her voters chose Le Pen.

“Le Pen has a more social program and he’s not his father or what he was. It’s matured. Between the arrogant Macron, and Le Pen, I prefer him. I agree with him that migration should be limited, that a referendum should be held ”explained Gerard, a businessman on Víctor Hugo avenue in Paris.

Other Republican voters are refusing to vote for him. “He doesn’t have the rank of a head of state. I put the ballot on Macron,” admitted Emilie, a real estate agent in the XVI neighborhood.

Retirees are worried about the astronomical cost of living, where the price of certain products they grew 85 percent in two weeks. They don’t know how to eat or stay warm. They have no way to pay with their small pensions.

“So I voted for Le Pen. It just talks about the cost of living, about purchasing power. Who cares about us, the little ones ”explained Arthur, an 80-year-old retiree in neighborhood VII.

Madame Tudraux walks with her cane to the school where she voted in the Marais. “I will choose Macron. Without your help during Covid, my grandchildren would have lost their restaurant. He was a great man. A statesman, ”he said.

At the Bistrot de Coin, in the heart of the Bastille, Jean has lunch with his wife and grandchildren. The cabinetmaker of this neighborhood was one of those who decided not to vote. “Between Macron and Le Pen, I decided not to pick anyone. My conscience is clearer. This country needs change and none of us will do it. France has a heavy system, which must ease and lower taxes for us to grow, ”he suggests.

Le Pen, abroad

In other regions they have already voted. Saint Barthelemy’s result gives the winner at Le Pen for 54.73 per cent against 45.27 per cent. The coastline devastated by a tropical tsunami destroyed it and the cost of living was enormous. The same phenomenon also occurred in Saint Martin.

But on the island of Guadeloupe the numbers are alarming: 69.60 per cent for Le Pen and 30.40 per cent for Emmanuel Macron. The trend was repeated in Martinique and Guyana, where Le Pen gained 60.70 percent. percent against 239.30 percent for Macron and a 38.89 percent stake.

In France they are worried.That phenomenon in the angry overseas territories of France, with a huge amount of living crisis, can be repeated?

You have to wait to find out until 8 pm At 5 pm, 634.23 percent of French have already voted, two points higher than in 2017.

PB