Centrist Emmanuel Macron and far-right leader Marine Le Pen are set to face each other in a May 7 runoff for the French presidency after coming first and second in Sunday’s first round of voting, early projections indicated.
With 34 per cent of the vote counted, France’s Interior Ministry says that Le Pen is leading with 24.6 per cent of the vote followed by centrist Macron with 21.9 per cent.
The early vote count includes primarily rural constituencies that lean to the right, while urban areas that lean left are counted later.
Turnout figures were at 69.42 per cent of eligible voters a few hours before polls were set to close, slightly down from the last election.
