French Presidential Election, April 2022

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Publication Date 2022
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Summary:

Information Guide concerning the presidential election held in France in April 2022.

Further information:

According to the French Constitution, the President of the Republic is elected to a five-year term in a two-round election. If no candidate secures an absolute majority of votes in the first round, a second round is held two weeks later between the two candidates who received the most votes. The first round of the 2022 French presidential election was scheduled to be held on 10 April 2022, with a second round being held on 24 April 2022.

The incumbent, Emmanuel Macron (LREM, centrist) announced on 3 March 2022 that he would seek re-election for a second term. The electoral campaign was influenced by Russia's invasion of Ukraine, but also focused on the rise of living costs relating to inflation and energy prices. The aftermath of the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic, its economic and sanitary impact also featured in the public discussion. The main rival was once again Marine Le Pen (RN, far-right), who progressively shortened her distance vis-a-vis Mr Macron in the polls ahead of the election. Another feature was the bid from former journalist Éric Zemmour (R!, far-right), outperforming many long-standing candidates in the pre-electoral polls.

The first round was won by the incumbent Emmanuel Macron (27.9%), followed by Marine Le Pen (23.2%), both proceeding to the second round. Jean-Luc Mélenchon (LFI, far-left) was third (22%). Éric Zemmour was a distant fourth (7.1%), not translating into the outcome predicted by some polls and media outlets.

The second round of the presidential election was held on 24 April 2022. Emmanuel Macron was re-elected as President (58.6%) against Marine Le Pen (41.5%).

Related Links
Commentary and Analysis
European Council on Foreign Affairs (ECFR): French Election 2022 https://ecfr.eu/topic/france-2022/
French Institute of International Relations (IFRI): Maps: 2022 French presidential election https://ifrimaps.org/en/french-elections-2022
The Economist: French election 2022 https://www.economist.com/french-election-2022
Euro|topics: Debates: 2022 French presidential election https://www.eurotopics.net/en/271390/
The Conversation (UK): Topics: Articles on France presidential election 2022 https://theconversation.com/uk/topics/france-presidential-election-2022-115240
The Conversation (UK): Topics: Articles on France elections 2022 https://theconversation.com/uk/topics/france-elections-2022-111417
Le Monde: The French Test (Daily Column in English on 2022 French presidential election) https://www.lemonde.fr/the-french-test/
The New Statesman: Tag: French Election 2022 https://www.newstatesman.com/tag/french-election-2022
RTÉ Brainstorm: French Presidential Election 2022 https://www.rte.ie/brainstorm/french-presidential-election-2022/
Intereconomics: Vol. 56 No 2 (2021): Presidential Election 2022: A Euroclash Between a “Liberal” and a “Neo-Nationalist” France Is Coming https://www.intereconomics.eu/contents/year/2021/number/2/article/presidential-election-2022-a-euroclash-between-a-liberal-and-a-neo-nationalist-france-is-coming.html
Foreign Policy: Dispatch, 10/11/2021: France’s Mainstream Political Parties Are a Dying Breed https://foreignpolicy.com/2021/11/10/france-mainstream-parties-survival-election/
London School of Economics (LSE): EUROPPBlog, 02/02/2022: Why it’s still all to play for in the French presidential election https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/europpblog/2022/02/02/why-its-still-all-to-play-for-in-the-french-presidential-election/
ING Think: Articles, 10/02/2022: France: Solid rebound and moderate inflation bode well for Macron’s re-election https://think.ing.com/articles/france-solid-rebound-and-moderate-inflation-bode-well-for-macron-reelection/
The Guardian: Explainer, 14/02/2022: French elections 2022: what could happen when country heads to polls? https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/feb/14/french-election-2022-polls-macron-le-pen-pecresse
openDemocracy: Analysis, 17/02/2022: The French presidential election is in a far-Right quagmire https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/france-presidential-election-far-right-great-replacement-eric-zemmour-valerie-pecresse/
Robert Schuman Foundation: European Elections Monitor (EEM): Analysis, 15/03/2022: Who will face Emmanuel Macron in the second round of the French presidential election? https://www.robert-schuman.eu/en/eem/1962-who-will-face-emmanuel-macron-in-the-second-round-of-the-french-presidential-election
German Marshall Fund of the United States (GMFUS): Policy Insights, 31/03/2022: France’s Presidential Elections in the Shadow of Ukraine https://www.gmfus.org/news/frances-presidential-elections-shadow-ukraine
Foreign Policy: Q&A, 01/04/2022: In France’s Election, ‘There’s No Single Coherent Challenger on the Right’ https://foreignpolicy.com/2022/04/01/france-election-macron-right-ones-and-tooze/
IPSOS: News & Polls, 01/04/2022: The French presidential election: rare features of the 2022 race https://www.ipsos.com/en/french-presidential-election-rare-features-2022-race
Oxford University Press (OUP): Blog, 04/04/2022: What is the French presidential election about? https://blog.oup.com/2022/04/what-is-the-french-presidential-election-about-long-read/
Institut Montaigne: Blog, 05/04/2022: France’s Presidential Elections Under Europe’s Eye: A Race Already Won https://www.institutmontaigne.org/en/blog/frances-presidential-elections-under-europes-eye-race-already-won
ING Think: Articles, 07/04/2022: Tensions are mounting in France’s presidential election race https://think.ing.com/articles/presidential-elections-in-france-the-suspense-is-mounting/
Centre for European Policy Studies (CEPS: In Brief, 07/04/2022: The French presidential election https://www.ceps.eu/the-french-presidential-election/
Atlantic Council: Blog, 10/04/2022: Experts react: It’s Macron vs. Le Pen, with Europe’s future on the line https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/blogs/new-atlanticist/macron-le-pen-experts-react-france-president-election/
ING Think: Snaps, 11/04/2022: Uncertainty for France as Macron looks to fend off Le Pen’s presidential challenge https://think.ing.com/snaps/french-elections-date-second-macron-le-pen-markets-finance-president-france/
Robert Schuman Foundation: European Elections Monitor (EEM): Results, 12/04/2022: Emmanuel Macron leads the first round of the French presidential election and will face Marine le Pen on 24 April https://www.robert-schuman.eu/en/eem/1972-emmanuel-macron-leads-the-first-round-of-the-french-presidential-election-and-will-face-marine-le-pen-on-24-april
Fitch Ratings: Research, 12/04/2022: French Presidential First-Round Vote Highlights Policy Uncertainty https://www.fitchratings.com/research/sovereigns/french-presidential-first-round-vote-highlights-policy-uncertainty-12-04-2022
Brookings Institution: Podcast, 15/04/2022: Where does France’s presidential election stand after round one? https://www.brookings.edu/podcast-episode/where-does-frances-presidential-election-stand-after-round-one/
Project Syndicate: Commentary, 18/04/2022: France’s Presidential Election Matters for Us All https://www.project-syndicate.org/commentary/french-presidential-election-crucial-test-for-democracy-by-chris-patten-2022-04?barrier=accesspaylog
Carnegie Europe: Commentary, 19/04/2022: The Far-Reaching Consequences of a Le Pen Victory in France https://carnegieeurope.eu/2022/04/19/far-reaching-consequences-of-le-pen-victory-in-france-pub-86936
Institut Montaigne: Blog, 20/04/2022: The Second Round of France’s Presidential Election: 4 Key Points in Emannuel Macron and Marine Le Pen’s Campaigns https://www.institutmontaigne.org/en/blog/second-round-frances-presidential-election-4-key-points-emannuel-macron-and-marine-le-pens-campaigns
Foreign Policy: Analysis, 20/04/2022: Why Marine Le Pen Always Loses https://foreignpolicy.com/2022/04/20/marine-le-pen-france-election-macron/
London School of Economics (LSE): EUROPP Blog, 22/04/2022: Citizen forecasting suggests Macron will win a comfortable victory over Marine Le Pen https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/europpblog/2022/04/22/citizen-forecasting-suggests-macron-will-win-a-comfortable-victory-over-marine-le-pen/
University of Kent: News Centre, 25/04/2022: How did Macron win the 2022 Presidential election? https://www.kent.ac.uk/news/society/31358/expert-comment-how-did-macron-win-the-2022-presidential-election
UK Parliament: House of Commons Library: Research Briefing, 26/04/2022: France: 2022 presidential election and future prospects https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/cbp-9522/
University of Oslo: Center for Research on Extremism (C-REX): Right Now!, 29/04/2022: The 2022 French Presidential Elections: Making sense of Le Pen’s electoral success https://www.sv.uio.no/c-rex/english/news-and-events/right-now/2022/the-2022-french-presidential-elections.html
European Consortium for Political Research (ECPR): The Loop, May 2022: Macron’s re-election and the continuing demise of the French Fifth Republic https://theloop.ecpr.eu/macrons-re-election-and-the-continuing-demise-of-the-french-fifth-republic/
openDemocracy: Opinion, 06/05/2022: Who are Marine Le Pen’s supporters in the French Caribbean? https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/le-pen-martinique-guadeloupe-french-guiana-macron/
Brookings Institution: Blog, 06/05/2022: Macron survives, but how long can the center hold in France? https://www.brookings.edu/blog/order-from-chaos/2022/05/06/macron-survives-but-how-long-can-the-center-hold-in-france/
UK in a Changing Europe: Commentary, 09/05/2022: Mélenchon may prove to be the real challenger to Macron’s presidency https://ukandeu.ac.uk/melenchon-macron-french-presidential-election/
London School of Economics (LSE): EUROPP Blog, 16/05/2022: Is France set for a far-left president in 2027? https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/europpblog/2022/05/16/is-france-set-for-a-far-left-president-in-2027/
Oxford University: Press Blog, 20/05/2022: The French presidential election: Macron’s strange victory https://blog.oup.com/2022/05/the-french-presidential-election-macrons-strange-victory-long-read/
GMFUS: Alliance for Securing Democracy, 24/05/2022: 5 Takeaways from the 2022 French Presidential Election https://securingdemocracy.gmfus.org/5-takeaways-from-the-2022-french-presidential-election/
Central European University (CEU): Podcast, 25/05/2022: The French Presidential Election and the State of Democracy in France, with Eric Fassin https://www.ceu.edu/article/2022-05-25/french-presidential-election-and-state-democracy-france-eric-fassin

News
Politico: France - Presidential Election 2022 https://www.politico.eu/france-presidential-election-2022/
France24: French presidential election 2022 https://www.france24.com/en/presidential-election-2022/
The Local (France): Tag: 2022 French Presidential Election https://www.thelocal.fr/tag/2022-french-presidential-election/
Financial Times: French presidential election https://www.ft.com/french-presidential-election
Euronews: Tag: French Presidential Election 2022 https://www.euronews.com/tag/france-presidential-election-2022
EurActiv: Topics: 2022 French Presidential Election https://www.euractiv.com/topics/2022-french-presidential-election/
RFI News: Tag: Presidential Election 2022 https://www.rfi.fr/en/tag/presidential-election-2022/
The Guardian: French presidential election 2022 https://www.theguardian.com/world/french-presidential-election-2022
BBC News: Topics: French elections 2022 https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/topics/c659qq10nlnt/french-elections-2022
Le Monde (English): 2022 Presidential Election https://www.lemonde.fr/en/2022-presidential-election/
Associated Press: Hub: French Election 2022 https://apnews.com/hub/french-election-2022

Official
French Government: Interior Ministry: Les élections en France (in French) https://www.elections.interieur.gouv.fr/
French Republic: CNCCEP: Les déclarations des candidats (in French) https://www.cnccep.fr/candidats.html
OSCE: ODIHR: Presidential election, 10 April 2022 https://www.osce.org/odihr/elections/france/513421

Wikipedia: 2022 French presidential election https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2022_French_presidential_election

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