French people, who are you going to elect? Please tell me, I'm getting nervous
@eal This is only the first round where the two candidates getting the most votes are qualified for the second round (unless one get the majority on the first round, but that never happens on the presidential election).
However, the last polls before the election show that they are 4 candidates that could be qualified (all around 20%, and all inside the margin error). In France, the first estimations of the results are given at 20:00 CEST (18:00 UTC).
@eal The first estimations of the results are extrapolated from the results of polling stations, and some polls done by polling institutes in the days before and during the election day. However, unlike previous elections, the polling stations now close at 19:00 and not 18:00 in most municipalities (they close at 20:00 in the main cities). So the polling institutes are not sure they can give good enough estimations at 20:00, since they have less time to consolidate the results.
@Feufochmar B-BUT WHO
@eal The four main favorites are E. Macron (center-right), M. Le Pen (far right), F. Fillon (right), J.L. Mélenchon (left). The last polls before the elections tended to give the candidates in that order for the first round.
A poll by the french-speaking belgian tv RTBF done at midday among people who just voted gave that order too apparently. French broadcasters cannot publish results of any poll before 20:00, so a way to know the results of those polls is to look at news from neighbouring countries (Belgium and Switzerland notably).
@Feufochmar The political system in France sounds really similar to the one we have here.
@eal Also, while the presidential election is seen as the main election in France, it is not, because the president needs a majority at the parliament to get a government on their side and apply their program.
A president without a majority on their side at the parliament has almost no power. Last time it happened, it was between 1997 and 2002, with J. Chirac as president, and L. Jospin as prime minister. In this situation, the prime minister really led the country, not the president.
The president can revoke the parliament, but only a year after the previous election of the parliament.
The election of the parliament will occur in June.