Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/814533
10 JURGEN BALZAN WITH polls suggesting the race is incred- ibly tight between the top five contenders, the French Presidential election is the most unpredictable in recent history. This election has sent shockwaves through- out the French political establishment and could end the virtual monopoly held by the mainstream Socialist and Republican par- ties. Most polls show that the second round set for 7 May is to be contested by two can- didates representing fringe parties. Centrist candidate Emmanuel Macron, the former protégé of outgoing president Fran- cois Hollande, is now the bookies' favourite to become president, with the average of the latest polls showing him marginally ahead of far-right leader Marine Le Pen. However, Thursday's terror attack could yet alter the result. The last few hours before to- day's election were dominated by the killing of a police officer in an apparent terror attack on Paris' Champs Élysées, once again placing security at the top of the electorate's concerns. The timing, just three days before the first round of the presidential elections and dur- ing a prime time TV "debate" between all 11 official candi- dates, clearly suggests that ex- tremists attempted to influence the outcome of the election. After seeing her support dwindle in recent weeks, Le Pen clearly hoped to claw back support after this latest at- tack by insisting that France requires a more authoritarian regime. But while some suggest the Champs Élysées at- tack could boost her campaign, previous terror attacks have not resulted in tangible gains for the far-right. Two years ago, Le Pen's Front National came top in the first round of regional elec- tions, just three weeks after the deadly Paris attacks in which 130 people were killed. However, in the second round Le Pen's par- ty failed to win any regions. This does not however mean that Macron, who is often portrayed as a soft touch on se- curity issues, will enjoy a late surge. Whoever goes through to the second round, the result of today's election will res- onate throughout Europe and across the At- lantic. A victory for Le Pen – who leads Eu- rope's largest far-right movement – would set France against itself and perhaps spell the end for the European project. On the left, Jean-Luc Mélenchon has made significant gains after charismatic perfor- mances in televised debates and mass rallies across the country. Both Le Pen and Mélenchon, with some nuances of difference, have promised to re- store France's sovereignty and threatened to exit the EU. This leaves only two decisively pro-European candidates with a chance of reaching the Élysée: François Fillon, the conservative Catholic who has promised Thatcher-style economic reforms ,and Ma- cron. The main contenders In total, 11 candidates have received ap- proval to run in the election from the coun- try's Constitutional Council, having met the threshold of the sponsorship of 500 elected officials. However, there are five leading candi- maltatoday, SUNDAY, 23 APRIL 2017 News EN MARCHE, or will it be en arrière? Today's vote for French president could reshape Europe and the destiny of those who hold the European project at heart Benoit Hamon surprised many by winning the Socialist Party primary back in January A victory for Marine Le Pen will send shockwaves throughout Europe and the rest of the world