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French election 2017: Who are the final candidates? French election 2017: Who are the final candidates?
(about 5 hours later)
Eleven candidates started the race for the French presidency, but that has been whittled down to just two in the first round of voting. The two now battling to become French president - Emmanuel Macron and Marine Le Pen - have sharply contrasting visions for France's future.
Neither Marine Le Pen nor Emmanuel Macron managed to secure an outright majority, and will face each other in a run-off election on 7 May. Mr Macron, a liberal centrist, took 23.75% of votes in Sunday's first round, ahead of the nationalist Ms Le Pen on 21.53%.
For the first time since 2002, the far-right National Front (FN) has made the second round. Ms Le Pen took 21.5% of votes in the first round, compared to 23.8% for Mr Macron. Eleven candidates were in the running. The election was historic for France, because the top two defeated the ruling Socialists and centre-right opposition Republicans. Those parties have dominated French politics for decades.
Under Marine Le Pen, the FN, once a pariah party, could win the presidency. But centrist Emmanuel Macron - with his non-party political movement - is the firm favourite. Ms Le Pen's result was the best yet for her National Front (FN), once a pariah party tarnished by accusations of anti-Semitism.
But Mr Macron, with his non-party political movement En Marche (On the Move), is the firm favourite for the run-off on 7 May. He already has pledges of support from the Socialists and Republicans.
All you need to know about the French electionAll you need to know about the French election
Marine Le Pen, National Front (FN) Marine Le Pen
She took over the FN leadership from her father in January 2011 and came third in presidential elections the following year. She brought the party big electoral gains in regional elections in late 2015.She took over the FN leadership from her father in January 2011 and came third in presidential elections the following year. She brought the party big electoral gains in regional elections in late 2015.
Despite being winning 7.6 million votes on Sunday - the strongest ever result for a FN presidential candidate - opinion polls suggest she is unlikely to defeat Mr Macron in the second round. Despite her efforts to soften the FN's image, and reach a wider electorate, opinion polls suggest she is unlikely to defeat Mr Macron.
In 2010, before being elected leader, Marine Le Pen compared Muslims praying in the street to the German occupation. But since 2011 she has softened her tone and the FN has also tried to build bridges with the Jewish community. In 2010, before being elected leader, she compared Muslims praying in the street to the Nazi German occupation.
As the election approached her position hardened again, with a pledge to suspend all legal immigration while new rules are drafted. She also caused outrage by wrongly suggesting that France had no responsibility for the Paris round-up of 13,000 Jews deported in World War Two. As the election approached she told voters she would suspend all legal immigration. She also caused outrage by wrongly suggesting that France had no responsibility for the Paris round-up of 13,000 Jews deported in World War Two.
Hugh Schofield: Is France's National Front leader far-right? In depth: Is France's National Front leader far-right?
Marine Le Pen, 48, trained as a lawyer and formerly headed the FN's legal department. After years of fighting and losing French parliamentary elections, she was elected to the European Parliament in 2004 and remains an MEP, representing North-West France. Ms Le Pen, 48, trained as a lawyer and formerly headed the FN's legal department. She was elected to the European Parliament in 2004 and remains an MEP, representing North-West France.
She is twice divorced with three children, and lives in the western suburbs of Paris.She is twice divorced with three children, and lives in the western suburbs of Paris.
What she wants:What she wants:
Emmanuel Macron, En Marche (On the Move) Emmanuel Macron
At 39, he has a real chance of becoming France's youngest-ever president, because polls suggest many of his former rivals' supporters will rally around him to defeat Ms Le Pen. At 39, he has a real chance of becoming France's youngest-ever president.
He is not an MP and has never stood for election before but his political rise has been meteoric. He is not an MP and has never stood for election before, but his political rise has been meteoric.
A brilliant student who went on to become an investment banker, Emmanuel Macron worked as economic adviser to President Hollande before taking up the post of economy minister in 2014. A former investment banker, Mr Macron worked as economic adviser to President François Hollande - a Socialist - before taking up the post of economy minister in 2014.
He forged a reputation with his "Macron Law", a controversial reform bill that allowed shops to open more often on Sundays and deregulated some sectors of industry. He championed digital start-ups and prompted a long-distance bus market. His "Macron Law" was a controversial reform bill that allowed shops to open more often on Sundays and deregulated some sectors of industry. He also championed digital start-ups, but his policies drew opposition from the most left-wing Socialists.
While a breath of fresh air for France's business community, his policies aroused opposition among the left of the governing Socialists. He launched En Marche as "neither left nor right" in April 2016, and resigned from the government before launching a presidential bid.
But when he set up En Marche as "neither left nor right" in April 2016, his position in the Socialist government became increasingly untenable and he resigned before launching a presidential bid. He has attracted the support of veteran moderate François Bayrou as well as Socialist ex-Prime Minister Manuel Valls. Among his supporters are veteran moderate François Bayrou and Socialist ex-Prime Minister Manuel Valls.
Mr Macron is married to his former French teacher Brigitte Trogneux, 20 years his senior, and has seven step-grandchildren.Mr Macron is married to his former French teacher Brigitte Trogneux, 20 years his senior, and has seven step-grandchildren.
What he wants:What he wants:
Emmanuel Macron's meteoric rise In depth: Emmanuel Macron's meteoric rise
France's Macron joins presidential race to 'unblock France'
What about the other candidates?What about the other candidates?
Two candidates - the conservative François Fillon and the radical leftist Jean-Luc Mélenchon - had been close behind Mr Macron and Ms Le Pen in opinion polls before Sunday's vote. Two candidates - the conservative ex-Prime Minister François Fillon and the radical leftist Jean-Luc Mélenchon - were not far behind Mr Macron and Ms Le Pen.
They, and all the other candidates, have now been eliminated from the race.
Mr Fillon, 62, had been an early favourite, beating heavyweights Nicolas Sarkozy and Alain Juppé for the Republican candidacy. But his campaign was rocked by allegations that his wife and two children improperly received public funds. Initially he said he would step aside if he was placed under formal investigation, but never did.Mr Fillon, 62, had been an early favourite, beating heavyweights Nicolas Sarkozy and Alain Juppé for the Republican candidacy. But his campaign was rocked by allegations that his wife and two children improperly received public funds. Initially he said he would step aside if he was placed under formal investigation, but never did.
Far-left firebrand Mr Mélenchon, 65, seized on the Socialist party's meltdown to become one of the four frontrunners. He seized the limelight with his razor-sharp wit during televised debates and impressed the public with his hi-tech use of holograms, projecting his image to rallies in six cities simultaneously.Far-left firebrand Mr Mélenchon, 65, seized on the Socialist party's meltdown to become one of the four frontrunners. He seized the limelight with his razor-sharp wit during televised debates and impressed the public with his hi-tech use of holograms, projecting his image to rallies in six cities simultaneously.
Benoit Hamon, 49, was the Socialist Party's candidate. He is a left-wing rebel within the mainstream who grasped the party's candidacy from a former prime minister. The ex-education minister struggled to secure broad support across a divided Socialist party and the far-left. Benoit Hamon, 49, was the Socialist Party's candidate. He is a left-wing rebel within the mainstream, who took the party's candidacy away from a former prime minister.
Nathalie Arthaud, Lutte Ouvrière (Workers' Struggle), 46,Trotskyist: Sought to prohibit redundancies and job cuts, increase of salaries and pensions to €1,800, impose worker control on enterprises and ownership of means of production. Nathalie Arthaud, Lutte Ouvrière (Workers' Struggle), 46, Trotskyist: Sought to freeze job cuts, boost salaries and pensions, impose worker control on enterprises and ownership of means of production.
François Asselineau, Union Populaire Républicaine (Popular Republic Union), 59, Nationalist and anti-US: wanted the withdrawal of France from the EU, euro and Nato, to renationalise big industries and private corporations. François Asselineau, Union Populaire Républicaine (Popular Republic Union), 59, Nationalist and anti-US: wanted withdrawal of France from the EU, euro and Nato, to renationalise big industries and private corporations.
Jacques Cheminade, 75, Ex-civil servant in economy ministry sought to ditch the EU and abandon the euro. A follower of US conspiracy theorist Lyndon LaRouche. Jacques Cheminade, 75, ex-civil servant in economy ministry sought to ditch the EU and abandon the euro. A follower of US conspiracy theorist Lyndon LaRouche.
Nicolas Dupont-Aignan, Debout La France (Stand Up France), 55,Gaullist: wanted to leave the euro and scrap the EU, higher ethical standards for elected officials, put the fight against jihadist terrorism at the centre of foreign policy. Claims he received texts from the Fillon campaign urging him to withdraw his candidacy. Nicolas Dupont-Aignan, Debout La France (Stand Up France), 55, Gaullist: wanted to leave the euro and scrap the EU, higher ethical standards for elected officials, focus on the fight against jihadist terrorism. Claims he received texts from the Fillon campaign urging him to withdraw his candidacy.
Jean Lassalle, 61, centrist, independent MP who wanted to renegotiate European treaties; staged a 39-day hunger strike in 2006 in a bid to save 140 jobs at a factory and walked 5,000km across France in 2013. Hailed for his "refreshing" bursts of rhetorical frankness, as when he coarsely dismissed the value of opinion polls.Jean Lassalle, 61, centrist, independent MP who wanted to renegotiate European treaties; staged a 39-day hunger strike in 2006 in a bid to save 140 jobs at a factory and walked 5,000km across France in 2013. Hailed for his "refreshing" bursts of rhetorical frankness, as when he coarsely dismissed the value of opinion polls.
Philippe Poutou, 50, New Anti-Capitalist PartyFord factory worker who wanted to lower retirement age to 60, reducing the working week to 32 hours and make abortion and contraception free and accessible. Many hailed him the star of the second presidential TV debate when he attacked Mr Fillon and Ms Le Pen over allegations of corruption.Philippe Poutou, 50, New Anti-Capitalist PartyFord factory worker who wanted to lower retirement age to 60, reducing the working week to 32 hours and make abortion and contraception free and accessible. Many hailed him the star of the second presidential TV debate when he attacked Mr Fillon and Ms Le Pen over allegations of corruption.