To be shit scared about the French elections

[brexitstolemyfuture]

Recent events could of given her a big boost, I'm getting pretty worried :(

Anyone in on the ground to reassure?

Oh gosh Broccoli - whereabouts are you in France, if you don't mind me asking? What's it like in your town - are people leaning towards one candidate in particular or is it too close to call?

Ancienchateau Le Pen may not and let's hope she doesn't win many seats

But if still the far right win many votes that can not be ignored and you will see other parties adopting their policies watered down

Look at the elections in Holland and the statement from their PM a few days before the elections (basically be respect and if you don't leave) Merkel and her move to partially ban the niqab, here the Labour Party making immigration restrictions in the 2015 GE one of their main manifesto promises in the EU referendum Remain largely ignored the immigration issue and many believe it cost us

If the numbers are large enough their voices have to be listened to and somewhat appeased (and some non right voters would agree with many watered down policies) I suspect we shall see quite a lot of this in the coming few years but large numbers of voters can not be dismissed

Macron first, mlp and jlm neck and neck

Macron and mlp it is.

Macrons and le pen are neck and neck according to BBC.

So she's through

23% first two then 19% next to. That's within the margin of error so any four could get through really. Hopeful

Exit polls are generally very accurate, unlike opinion polls. So she's through. But it will be virtually impossible to beat Macron.

The exit polls for brxit and trump were wrong

All exit polls in the last couple of years have been very wrong. From the Tory majority to Brexit, to Trump.. Im sitting here watching, slightly baffled as to why they're celebrating just yet. I'm working with a French lady tonight who was scared for either of those two to get power.

Can anyone shed light on how the French actually cast their ballots? It looks like you select a candidate's name rather than mark a cross against someone's name?

You put a slip with the person you want's name in an envelope.

What's wrong with Macron?

Thanks spinassienne - so where does the slip come from? Are they all in the booth? Or are they in an open area (and, if the latter, how is it a secret ballot?)?

He's bland, inexperienced, ruthlessly ambitious, and an ex banker. Other than that he's not too bad...

You get the full set of slips delivered to your home address. They're also available at the polling station as you go in to vote. You can take as many or as few as you like into the booth with you.

Of the top 4 he's the third worst though right?

Ah, I see. Thank you. It seems like a complicated system!

No, very simple - just a big waste of paper. The ballot boxes are see-through and are counted on the spot, in public, the results are centralised and voilà.

Just read a thing in the Guardian about French exit polls - they're taken from actual vote samples (not just asking people as they leave the polling station, like ours) so are far more accurate.

MLP and Macron as previous posters have said, it still looks like it's all to play for between the two of them! It could go in his or her favour, to be honest. Anyone else getting unwanted memories of the Hillary vs Donald showdown??

The graph on the Guardian's live report is quite interesting, showing the polling for a Macron v Le Pen run-off. There is a wide gap between them but it's been narrowing in the last two months.

Fillon now telling his supporters to vote Macron.

It's not really all to play for, the polls show a huge margin between Macron and Le Pen in the second round.

Paris it feels the same to me.

I think it could go either way, macron isn't a sure fire win at all.

Does anyone else remember all the laughing at lepen saying she will never get through even the first round.

Good point greenworm - hadn't seen the Guardian poll, and just had a look now.