French election: Macron in pole position, Le Pen racing hard

By SYLVIE CORBET
The Associated Press

PARIS (AP) — French President Emmanuel Macron is in the pole position to win reelection Sunday in France’s presidential runoff. Yet his lead over far-right rival Marine Le Pen depends on one major uncertainty: voters who could decide to stay home. A victory in Sunday’s runoff would make Macron the first French president in 20 years to win a second term. It is also expected to have far-reaching repercussions for Europe’s future direction and Western efforts to stop the war in Ukraine. France’s April 10th first-round vote eliminated 10 other presidential candidates. Who becomes France’s next leader will largely depend on what supporters of those losing candidates do on Sunday. Polls have already opened in overseas French territories.