French Presidential Election: What to Know, Why it Matters

As the French cast their ballots Sunday in the first round of voting in their 2017 presidential election, the world will anxiously wait to learn if populist nationalists score another major victory in a second western European nation.

Electoral momentum against the European Union and globalist politicians began when the U.K. voted for “Brexit” on June 23. The victory of President Donald Trump in the November 2016 election in the United States handed populists a second, substantial win.

“[The polls] also said that Brexit wasn’t going to happen, that Donald Trump wasn’t going to be elected.”

And now France, arguably hit harder by the effects of open borders and economic globalism than the U.S. or the U.K., will decide whether to embrace a populist shift at the ballot box.

Here are the most important things you need to know about the 2017 French presidential election:

Why does the French election matter to the U.S.?
As The New York Times noted in an article published Thursday, France is the world’s sixth-largest economy, is a permanent member of the U.N. Security Council and is a nuclear-armed power. It is also one of the U.S.’ oldest and most reliable allies.

The major issues facing the French electorate this time around involve illegal immigration, the ongoing refugee crisis, national autonomy, economic prosperity, and the pushback against globalization — all of which factored heavily in the 2016 U.S. presidential election.

The issue of dealing with the threat of radical Islamic terrorism is also an issue of prime importance. The nation has been rocked by over 20 terrorist attacks over the course of the the last two years. The latest attack, which occurred Thursday, brought the issue to the forefront in the final days leading to the Sunday vote.

How does the French electoral process work?
Each president is elected to serve a single five-year term and may serve two consecutive five-year terms. The new president will succeed outgoing Socialist President François Hollande, who declined to seek reelection amid poor approval ratings.

Because the French media cannot release the results as they come in from different polling stations, the outcome will not be known until after the final stations close Sunday at 8 p.m. Paris time.

After the paper ballots are counted by hand and the two finalists are announced, they will prepare for their one-on-one debate May 3. The run-off election occurs May 7, and the winner of that contest will be sworn in as president May 14.

A month later in June, the National Assembly elections take place for France’s lower house of Parliament. Whoever wins the presidential election May 7 will look toward securing a party majority in the National Assembly to aid in the implementation of his or her agenda.

Who are the main contenders?
There are currently 11 presidential candidates. Four main candidates are seen as having a credible chance of winning a spot in the runoff election.

Emmanuel Macron is an independent centrist and the founder of the progressive En Marche! party. Fox News dubbed Macron the “French Obama” in an article published Friday, due to his charismatic style. Although Macron appears to be slightly leading the pack, his roles as an official in the Hollande government and as an investment banker have led to attacks that he is an elite globalist, deeply entrenched within the status quo. He is viewed as a centrist who wouldn’t radically alter the status quo.

Marine Le Pen is the current leader of the right-wing National Front party. Le Pen embodies the populist-conservative and anti-globalization swing that swept through the U.S. and the U.K. She has campaigned on the slogan of “economic patriotism.” Running on a platform that also could be characterized as “Make France Great Again,” Le Pen appeals to those French citizens who are alarmed by a massive influx of refugees and migrants, the increasing threat of radical Islamic terrorism, and a French economy that has remained sluggish.

François Fillon hails from the center-right Republican Party. Although Fillon led early polls, his popularity sunk amid corruption allegations. He refused to withdraw his candidacy despite calls from figures in his own party demanding he move aside. Fillon, seeing the potency of Le Pen’s platform among frustrated French voters, has taken an increasingly firm stance on the threat of importing radical Islamic terrorism — a move that could steal votes from Le Pen.

Jean-Luc Mélenchon is the radical far-left creator of the France Unbowed movement. Often compared to former progressive presidential candidate U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Mélenchon fights for economic socialism, higher taxes on rich French, and an increased scope for government programs.

Several polls in the final days of the contest show Macron and Le Pen leading the pack by the smallest of margins.

Why Does Le Pen Matter?
Her patriotic call for French autonomy echoes the populist nationalism behind the Brexit vote in June. When the U.K. voters opted to exit the EU and reclaim their national sovereignty.

[lz_related_box id=”785811″]

Le Pen’s meteoric rise in French politics is often compared to the unconventional rise of Trump, which led to his stunning Election Day upset against Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton. Although the French press traditionally reports on each of the leading candidates relatively equally, Le Pen has garnered a massive amount of press interest.

The outspoken National Front party leader has promised to “Make France great again” and help France “to remain France” by protecting its national heritage and autonomy in the face of globalization.

During an interview with Anderson Cooper that aired March 5 on CBS News’ “60 Minutes,” Cooper noted that “the polls say you can’t win,” to which Le Pen said, “Yes.”

“[The polls] also said that Brexit wasn’t going to happen, that Donald Trump wasn’t going to be elected — wasn’t even going to be his party’s nominee,” Le Pen added. “Well, they’re saying that less and less now. They are much more cautious — much more cautious.”

Once trailing in the polls, Le Pen now finds herself neck-and-neck with Macron, both of whom are barely ahead of the other two main contenders. Nearly any outcome is possible come Sunday.