Sunday’s election was undoubtedly a win for the anti-elite populist, both from the left and the right. However, that doesn’t mean that second-place Marine Le Pen of the welfare-state friendly, hyper-nationalist National Front has a good shot at winning the presidency in the second-round of voting. She’s still a longshot.
In the first round runoff election, Le Pen obtained 21.3% of the vote, a couple points shy of Macron’s 24%. The French electoral system requires the winning candidate to secure the majority (as opposed to plurality) of the vote, so the two top vote-getters must face off again in a second-round runoff set to take place on May 7. At that point, either Le Pen or Macron will walk away with at least 50% of the vote and a key to the president’s office.
.png)
.png)
