It’s not quite over yet, but exit polls from France’s voting precincts suggest that the polls were correct in predicting a comfortable victory for independent candidate Emmanuel Macron.
Several exit polls have suggested that Macron will take somewhere between 60% and 65% of the vote over his opponent, Front National’s Marine Le Pen.
In great contrast to Le Pen’s protectionist and hardline anti-immigration policy, Macron is a staunchly pro-EU globalist who previously served as Economics Minister during the presidency of Socialist Francois Hollande, before stepping down from the position.
#Presidentielle2017 Estimation @IpsosFrance / @SopraSteria_fr du vainqueur à la Présidentielle :
E. MACRON : 65,1% – M. LE PEN : 34,9% pic.twitter.com/k8p8W5lEFx— Ipsos France (@IpsosFrance) May 7, 2017
Macron President says exit polls with a thumping 65% victory over Le Pen
— Faisal Islam (@faisalislam) May 7, 2017
A Macron win could have interesting implications for the politics of the Republic of Ireland. As a pro-EU politician, the union would likely be much safer than if Le Pen were to assume the office. However, Macron has condemned Ireland’s low corporation tax rate of 12.5% — something which is seen as a major pull factor for Ireland attracting multinational corporations.
Update: AP is reporting that Bernard Cazeneuve, French Prime Minister, is calling the election for Emmanuel Macron.
BREAKING: French prime minister says Emmanuel Macron has won the French presidential election.
— The Associated Press (@AP) May 7, 2017
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