SUNDAY, APRIL 10 , 2022. THE WASHINGTON POST EZ RE A27
But her election loss to Macron
six years later, in 2017, prompted
a transformation. She has spent
much of the past five years trying
to change the public’s perception
of her and her party, which she
renamed from National Front to
National Rally.
While her tone has softened,
she continues to advocate far-
right policies that would radical-
ly alter France if implemented. Le
Pen recently said her first act as
president would be a referendum
on immigration, for example.
The war in Ukraine threatened
to damage her campaign, partial-
ly because she long portrayed
herself as an ally of Russian
President Vladimir Putin. But Le
Pen was quick to change course,
condemning the invasion. She
has emphasized concerns that
resonate widely with voters, such
as the rising cost of living and the
impact of sanctions against Rus-
sia on French energy prices.
Mélenchon: The far-left un-
derdog who could still surprise
The far-left politician unsuc-
cessfully ran for president in 2017
and is polling below his support
levels five years ago, but he re-STEPHANE MAHE/REUTERSFrench President Emmanuel Macron, seeking a second term,
campaigns in last week Spézet. Because of his efforts to avert, then
to end the war in Ukraine, Macron has scarcely campaigned.
SEBASTIEN BOZON/AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE/GETTY IMAGES
Marine Le Pen, the presidential candidate of the far-right party
Rassemblement National, seen in Haguenau in northeastern
France on April 1, has tried to soften her party’s extremist image.THOMAS PADILLA/ASSOCIATED PRESS
Far-left presidential candidate Jean-Luc Mélenchon attends a rally
in Paris in March. Of 12 candidates, only Macron, Le Pen and
Mélenchon appear able to reach the second round of the election.cent, and center-left Socialist
Party candidate Anne Hidalgo at
2 percent. Far-right candidate
Éric Zemmour, who threatened
to outflank Le Pen on the far
right, has dropped to about 9 per-
cent in the polls.What’s important to know
about Macron, Le Pen and
Mélenchon?
Macron: Once an anti-estab-
lishment candidate, now part of
the establishment
When Macron — a former in-
vestment banker and economy
minister — launched his own
political movement in 2016, he
promised to bring a new style of
politics t o the Élysée Palace, with-
out any obligations to established
parties. He portrayed himself as a
progressive anti-establishment
candidate and staunch supporter
of the European Union, and he
vowed to make France’s economy
more competitive.
In the years since, France’s
youngest president has shifted
right on immigration, national
security and other issues, dis-
gruntling some of his supporters
on the left.Macron, now 44, has defended
his policymaking that transcends
traditional partisan lines. “When
you walk, you need two legs,” he
said last week. “One on the left,
and one on the right. And to
advance, you have to place one
after the other.”
In the wake of Russia’s inva-
sion of Ukraine, Macron initially
benefited from a surge in the
polls that was attributed to his
role as a “wartime leader.” But
that bounce has since largely
dissipated, and Macron has
struggled to spark the momen-
tum his campaign had in 2017.
Macron also hasn’t succeeded at
dispelling criticism that many of
his policies have benefited the
rich and failed the poor.
Le Pen: A far-right leader
seeking a more moderate image
The 53-year-old took over
France’s main far-right party
from her father, whose history of
Holocaust denialism long limited
the party’s appeal among more
moderate voters. In her first
years as party president, Le Pen
stuck to many of her father’s
positions and rhetorical talking
points.BY RICK NOACK
AND LENNY BRONNERparis — Voters will head to the
polls for the first round of
France’s presidential election on
Sunday, w ith President Emmanu-
el Macron seeking a second five-
year term.
While polls have long suggest-
ed that Macron was the strong
favorite, the far right has closed
the gap over the past few days,
and the far left also has made
limited gains.
Only the first round’s two top
candidates will move forward to
the runoff vote, set for April 24.
Macron is expected to be one of
those to advance, but there is still
potential for the order of finish
Sunday to be a surprise.
Who are the leading
candidates?
Out of a field of 12 official
candidates, only five have polled
in the double digits over the past
weeks, and only three appear to
have a realistic chance of making
it into the second round at this
point: the centrist Macron, far-
right leader Marine Le Pen and
far-left politician Jean-Luc Mé-
lenchon.
The latest polling averages
show 26 percent of voters intend
to choose Macron in the first
round, 23 percent Le Pen and
17 percent Mélenchon, according
to NSPPolls, a platform that com-
piles French election polls.
If the runoff were taking place
now, Macron would beat Le Pen
with 53 percent of the vote to
47 percent, according to a poll
average. It would be a record
result for the far right and far
closer than in 2017, when Macron
beat Le Pen 66 percent to 34 per-
cent.
The polls suggest a disappoint-
ing performance for the two es-
tablished parties that long domi-
nated French politics before Ma-
cron’s presidency. Mainstream
center-right candidate Valérie
Pécresse polls at around 8 per-
mains the only candidate among
France’s divided left who could
make it into the Élysée Palace.
Mélenchon’s platform largely
remains the same as five years
ago: He wants more decisive
action on combating climate
change, supports lowering the
retirement age, opposes neoliber-
alism and says he would pull
France out of NATO if elected,
despite the war in Ukraine.
His proposals have convinced
many young French voters — an
electorate that Mélenchon, 70,
has wooed more than other can-
didates. Mélenchon hosted a par-
allel rally in 12 cities across
France this past week, appearing
in 11 of them as a hologram
projection.
Mélenchon has said he wants
to unite the left. But in practice,
many left-leaning voters remain
dismayed by his insistence on
proposals that are deemed too
extreme by moderates.What are the chances that
Macron loses the first round?
The consensus among experts
is that Macron should be able to
make it into the second round.
The order of the top finishers is
more uncertain.
According to an average of
recent polls, Macron is about
three percentage points ahead of
Le Pen and about nine percent-
age points ahead of Mélenchon.
Mélenchon’s final result could
still rise if left-leaning voters
spontaneously drop their candi-
dates, many of whom are polling
in the low single digits, and
decide to coalesce around the
far-left contender. But for him to
catch up to Macron would reflect
an unprecedented polling error
in contemporary French history.
There’s greater potential that
Le Pen could beat Macron. Her
support has been surging, as her
far-right competitors have faded.
And Macron’s final result could
be lower than expected if his
supporters don’t turn out.
French polling institutes pre-
dict that abstention rates could
reach record highs. To get out the
vote, Macron and his allies have
in recent days tried to impress
upon their supporters that they
should not be overly confident
that he will win.
“Marine Le Pen can be electedPresident of the Republic. It’s one
to midnight,” former French
prime minister Manuel Valls
warned in a newspaper op-ed.What issues are on the minds
of French voters?
The focus of French voters and
candidates has shifted through
the campaign. What initially felt
like an election centered on im-
migration and security questions
— with the far right dominating
the discourse — has in recent
weeks become more of a vote
focused on economic concerns.
Polls show that a majority of
the French worry that the cost of
living has increased under Ma-
cron’s presidency, even as the
economy overall has weathered
the coronavirus pandemic and
other crises.
The war in Ukraine has
prompted growing concerns over
rising inflation, surging energy
prices and insufficient pensions.What does the election mean
for other countries?
France may often be ridiculed
for its ambition still to play a
leading role in a world shaped by
bigger and more populous coun-
tries, but France does have out-
size influence on the world stage.
It has the E.U.’s biggest military
and second-largest economy and
is the only E.U. country among
the five permanent members of
the United Nations Security
Council.
Macron at times appeared
poised to redefine France’s rela-
tionship with the United States
and other Western countries —
for example, saying in 2019 that
NATO had suffered “ brain death”
— but among the crowded field of
presidential candidates, he re-
mains one of the biggest defend-
ers of strong transatlantic rela-
tions and the European Union.
The three candidates polling
behind him — Le Pen, Mélenchon
and Zemmour — have all ex-
pressed deep skepticism of U.S.
foreign policy, NATO and E.U.
moves. A victory for one of them
would be likely not only to rede-
fine France’s role within Western
alliances, but probably also
would upend the political bal-
ance across the European Union.Bronner reported from Washington.In French presidential election, a large field but few with a chance
THIBAULT CAMUS/ASSOCIATED PRESS
Posters of French presidential candidates are displayed Wednesday in the town of Fontainebleau, near
Paris. Polling ahead of the first round of voting Sunday showed incumbent Emmanuel Macron leading.Incumbent Macron is
favored to repeat, despite
gains by the far rightSPRING SAVINGS*Ten percent off any job over $2500 up to a max of $500. Coupon must be presented at time of inspection. Offer may not be
combined with any other offer. Limit one per customer. Ask inspector for further details. Promo valid through 03/31/2022.FOUNDATIONSBASEMENTSCRAWL SPACES(703) 382-25 92CALL TODAY FOR AFREE INSPECTION+Easy Financing+Nationally-backed
Transferable WarrantiesYOUR NEXT PROJECT*$500 OFFMOLD AND MILDEWA compromised and damaged basement can affect your home’s safety,
appearance, and value. These problems only get worse with age.
Repair your home’s issues now... and save money in the future.WET BASEMENTBOWING WALLSRepair and Protect Your Greatest Asset(703) 997-9302* Ten percent off any job over $2500 up to a max of $ 500. Coupon must be presented at time of inspection. Off er may not be
combined with any other off er. Limit one per customer. Ask inspector for further details. Promo valid through 04/30/2022.Now serving Maryland, D.C., and Virginia.WE DO IT ALL! Tub LinersTub and Shower Replacements Tub-to-Shower Conversions20 2-719-28 65Book your FREE design
CONSULTATION today!OUR BENEFITSEasy to Clean Seamless Wall One-Day Installation
1 21Tub-to-shower conversions and fiberglass replacements typically require a two-day installation. 2Lifetime warranty valid for as long as you own your home. *Offer ends 7/15/2022. All offers must be
presented and used at time of estimate only. May not be combined with other offers or applied to previous purchases. Valid only at select Bath Fitter locations. Offers and warranty subject to limitations.
Fixtures and features may be different than pictured. Accessories pictured are not included. Plumbing work done by Plumbing work done by P.U.L.S.E. Plumbing. Daniel Paul Hemshrodt MD MPL #17499,
MD HIC #129995, VA HIC #2705146537, DC HIC #420213000044. Each Franchise Independently Owned And Operated By Mid Atlantic Bath Solutions, LLC.FITS YOUR lifeWith our unique tub-over-tub liners, replacements, and
tub-to-shower conversions we can complete your bathroom
renovation in as little as a day. At Bath Fitter, we don’t just fit
your bath, we fit your life. Why have over two million people
brought Bath Fitter into their homes? It Just Fits.CALL WITHIN 1 WEEK TO GETCALL WITHIN 2 WEEKS TO GET$750 OFFBEST
OFFER$550 OFFCALL WITHIN 4 WEEKS TO GET
$350 OFFCALL NOW
FOR OUR BEST OFFER!***