The presidential election is held in France

On Sunday, France chooses a new president, the course of which can determine politics far beyond the borders of the country and become a decisive factor for maintaining or destroying the European Union. Voting takes place two days after the terrorist attack in Paris against the backdrop of unprecedented security measures, and among the favorites - two pro -Russian candidates: the leader of the National Front Marine Le Pen and the Republican Firesua Fionon . None of the four main candidates, judging by the surveys, are a decisive advantage, and today the struggle will go for access to the second round.

Observers believe that the outcome of the elections in France can determine the fate of not only the country, but the entire region. In the summer, early elections will be held in UK who leave the EU, and in the fall - in Germany. In France, two of the four factory candidates are interested in the destruction of the project of the Unified Europe (Le Pen and Jean-Luke Melanshon), the other two, on the contrary, advocate the integration and coordination of efforts (Fionuel and Emmanuel Macron). Washington Post notes that among the four main applicants for the highest state post in France, three advocate softening or lifting sanctions from Russia.

Candidates for the presidency of France vote in the elections Pic.twitter.com/71zlhtsg5n

- DW (in Russian) (@dw_russian) April 23, 2017

Sociological services offer a variety of layouts for the second round. It can only be said that Melanchon has less chance than the three main rivals.

According to the survey, published on the eve of the Opinionway sociological service, the leadership in the ranking of candidates retain Macron (they can gain 23%of the vote in the first round, according to other sources - up to 26%) and Marin Le Pen (22%). The chances of access to the second round are also preserved by Fiion (20%) and the leader of the “frightened France” by Jean-Luke Melanshon (19%). At the same time, in the second round, according to the study, Le Pen is inferior to both Macron and Fiion.

The elections of the new president are held in France in an atmosphere of an unprecedentedly high level of terrorist danger. Last week, two people who planned terrorist attacks during the election were arrested in Marseille. And on April 20, the 39 -year -old Frenchman opened fire on the policemen on the Champs Elysees - the main street of Paris.

During the vote, 50 thousand police officers and gendarmes, as well as 7 thousand military, will ensure security. This year, a large number of employees of private security agencies have been attracted to the protection of plots. In a number of large plots, “alarming buttons” are installed, with which the staff can immediately give the police a signal about the emergency, TASS reports.

Polling stations in large cities will work until 20 hours in Parisian time (21:00 in Moscow). It is expected that the first official preliminary results will be known before midnight. According to the legislation in force in the republic, the publication of any results of polls or assessments of the vote is prohibited before the end of voting.