Presidential elections in France may have historically low turn-out

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According to pollsters and commentators, a majority of French citizens believe the 2022 presidential election campaign was of poor quality and never really got off the ground, which might lead to protest votes and a historically low turnout in Sunday's first round.

According to a recent Ifop study, 80% of French respondents thought the campaign was "poor quality". After two years of the Covid epidemic, the war in Ukraine, and a cost-of-living crisis, voters have complained of a lack of fresh political ideas or vision, as well as few remedies to their issues.

Emmanuel Macron is hoping for re-election as he promises to continue to lower taxes and raise the pension age to 65, in a bid to aid France's unemployment rates.

While he was involved with mediating the Ukraine crisis, some believe he came into the race too late, allowing Marine Le Pen to slip in close to second place. 

Read more: McKinsey affair troubling Macron reelection bid

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Read more: Le Pen catching up with Macron in election polls

Yesterday, Le Pen expressed she was against sanctions imposed on Russia and the import of its raw materials, in addition to the embargo imposed on Russian gas, oil, and coal

Le Pen argued that the sanctions would have dire consequences on not only the French economy but the world economy as a whole.

The 53-year-old has also enjoyed cover from the emergence of Eric Zemmour, the French Donald Trump and polemicist who is still further to the right, and even more anti-Islam and anti-immigration.

French voters have shown less interest in this election campaign than they did 5 years ago, despite their concerns.

Although the campaign has entered its final week, 54% of those polled said they felt it had not yet begun. A historical number of the French say they are not sure who will get their vote, putting the risk of abstention at 30% by Sunday. 

Macron compared the sentiment to that of the UK before Brexit, saying during a rally, "Don’t believe in polls or commentators who sound definitive and tell you that … the election is already done, that everything is going to be alright. From Brexit to so many elections, what seems unlikely can happen!”

As support for Le Pen increases, a total of 66% of the French believe Macron will win, a figure that was higher previously.

François Miquet-Marty, head of Viavoice pollsters, disclosed that polling indicates "75% of French people think there aren't really any new ideas in this campaign. And at the same time, 76% of people are worried about their children’s futures. There is a sense that the solutions on offer in this campaign aren’t enough.”