Voters in France head to the polls

Indicators give Macron 20-point lead amid hint of low voter turnout

PARIS - On a gray and rainy Sunday morning, millions of French voters headed to the polling stations to decide who will lead the country for the next five years.

The choice is between centrist candidate Emmanuel Macron and far-right Marine Le Pen.

At a polling station in an elementary school in the northern suburbs of Paris, white ballot papers with the name of the two rivals were stacked on the tables, ready for people to take into the voting booths.

The volunteering staff were welcoming the first comers under the watch of gendarmes deployed to ensure a smooth voting in a context of high security risk.

Wahiba, a nursery assistant of Algerian origin, normally votes for the Greens but switched to the centrist candidate.

"I think Macron is the less worst among all the candidates. Le Pen's proposals make me worried about the future of our children. I choose Macron," she said.

That lack of enthusiasm was echoed across the country in early voting, with the Interior Ministry hinting at a lower turnout than usual.

Overall turnout for French presidential elections is generally high, at around 80 percent.

To Telly, a supporter of far-left candidate Jean-Luc Melenchon, who was defeated in the first round, "the enemy of my enemy is my friend."

"I voted for Macron. He showed that he can govern by gathering all the French regardless their cultural, origin and religion differences," she said.

In the runoff, nearly 47 million voters were expected to cast their ballots, choosing between the two candidates with very different political stands.

Self-dubbed "the candidate for jobs", Macron invited the electorate from various political views to endorse his pro-business projects and plans to revive Europe.

On the other hand, proposing a strict opposite program based on protectionist approaches, his rival Le Pen promised voters a return to the national currency and tightening internal borders to restore security.

Stephane, a taxi driver, said he voted for the anti-establishment candidate in a "punishment vote" over "failed policies of mainstream parties" that dominated the French political landscape for decades.

"The right or the left are the two faces of the same coin. They pledged a lot but did little for people. And even Macron is following their path. So, I'm supporting Le Pen who is proposing something different," he said.

A retired voter who refused to be named shared the same view.

"Why we don't let the far-right test its policy on the ground. Maybe it can succeed in what the so-called major parties failed to do," he said.

In the April 23 first round vote, former economy minister Macron led the 11-candidate list with 24.01 percent of votes, outpacing Le Pen, on 21.3 percent.

Opinion polls before the vote out Macron on course to win the vote by 20 points.

After a campaign overshadowed by a series of twists, the election is one of the most unpredictable in the country's modern history.

In the meantime, a new question will emerge - whether the new president can keep the promises and lead France out of its economic gloom and social strains.

Xinhua - Afp