France: Voting begins in unpredictable presidential election

46.87 million French voters have started the process of electing the European country’s next president.

The country’s 66,546 polling stations were open for business as early as 6am on Sunday.

Voters have started casting ballots in the first-round poll of the election.

Eleven candidates are vying for the presidency in France’s most unpredictable election in decades.

Far-right nationalist Marine Le Pen and centrist Emmanuel Macron are ahead in the opinion polls while conservative Francois Fillon and far-left contender Jean-Luc Melenchon are closely in tow.

The quartet are the favourites.

Other presidential candidates are Benoit Hamon, Philippe Poutou, Nicolas Dupont-Aignan, Francois Asselineau, Jacques Cheminade, Nathalie Arthaud, and Jean Lassalle.

France’s next president is expected to be elected after a vote of two rounds.

Owing to the tight contest, an absolute majority is highly unlikely in the first round, hence, a run-off will be held on May 7.

Over the past five decades, every presidential election in France has gone into second round.