The French GE ... voting starts Sunday. ??

According to reports the French aren’t keen on either candidate. Turnout is expected to be low.

Exactly mokryna many people here share your concerns

Maudi. What do you think she will do to improve France as I am frankly worried if she gets in.

The polls are showing Macron moving ahead at the moment. Le Pen's economic policies are pretty incoherent and that is not going down well. It has been a sunny weekend in France so demonstrations were inevitable. ?

Maudi

Yes it seems the knives are out for Marine Le Pen, they must be frightened she could win the election, a dirty tricks smear campaign by the left to scupper her chances. I hope she wins, Macron has done the UK no favours.

Regardless of any party politics, if she has committed fraud she deserves the punishment.

What favours exactly did you expect from Macron Maudi? He is hardly going to be helpful to the UK to the detriment of his own country. France is an especially proud nation. I am sure if the UK were in dire need and specifically requested Macron's support, he might actually oblige.
I like Marine Le Pen, she has that certain je ne sais quoi and she is very energetic. But I don't like her policies and I worry how France might change drastically under her.

Yes it seems the knives are out for Marine Le Pen, they must be frightened she could win the election, a dirty tricks smear campaign by the left to scupper her chances. I hope she wins, Macron has done the UK no favours.

That’s very interesting as I am watching franceinfo news now which isn’t speaking about this at all. Incredible, nothing. They are just discussing the TV hour debate between both of them this next Wednesday.

Maybe if they can prove what LePen have done is illegal, she will be scrubbed off, as was François Fillon. That would bring up Mélenchon as things stand or have restart the whole process again which would change the June elections.
School breaks up at the end of June.

Seems the gloves are off.

Marine Le Pen’s team have accused the European Union of “coming to the aid” of Emmanuel Macron after the bloc’s anti-fraud body claimed that the Right-wing candidate embezzled more than €100,000 (£83,000) whilst working for the European Parliament.

Mediapart, the French news outlet, revealed at the weekend that a report by Olaf, the European anti-fraud office, accused Ms Le Pen and three other former MEPs – including her father Jean-Marie – of misusing European Parliament funds.

The report also alleged that Ms Le Pen personally misappropriated roughly €137,000 (£113,000) of public money from Strasbourg during her time as an MEP between 2004 and 2017. On Sunday , French prosecutors confirmed that they were examining the allegations.

Source: Telegraph 17 April 2022

There have been many protests because the two most popular people who were voted for in the first round, just over 50%, are not to the liking of many other people.
There has been a huge revolt. Many of the young voters will make a ‘white’ vote, this means they will take the two tickets that have the two names of the runners on them but will not place either ticket in the sealed envelope.
Macron has more of the over 60s vote, both of the runners are chasing the under 40s vote.
Therefore it is very difficult to predict what will happen next Sunday.

However, there will be elections in June for the National Assembly. This, they say, will throw up more problems and people are talking about a 6th republic now.

Thanks for the explanation halfpint.

Mabybe70 I don't support Marie le Pen or her policies , maybe
admire is not the right word, she is extremely Charismatic
to watch. Most politicians on either side of the channel get
about 2 minutes of my attention on the t.v. but she comes
across differently. Hence her following has increased and
she puts immigration forward which is of interest to many
as it was preceeding the Brexit vote but look how that turned
out.

I always paid my all taxes even on money earned abroad and was entitled to use the French health system but I wasn’t allowed to vote although my husband was French as were my children and grandchildren. I had to become a French citizen which because of Brexit. My British born DD was in the same position except she didn’t have GC.

Urmstongran

I suppose if they’re eligible to vote they’re not ‘ex-pats’ but residents now, paying their taxes there and in the health system etc.

As residents we Brits aren't entitled to vote. I think that we have to be citizens. I doubt if there's many non - resident Brits lef there now.

halfpint1

As usual don't believe everything you read in the press. The last week Marie Le Pen (who I admire but would not vote for
because gentler politics are needed re immigration) has seen
Mme Le Pen pushed forward in the English press.

Can you explain what it is about a Putin supporting anti EU anti NATO politician that you admire.

Yes you can get nationality after 4 years of being married to a a French national, you also have to do a language test and interview.

To get a French passport you need French Nationality not just
be married to a French person. You have to apply and it takes couple of years to complete all the checks it doesn't come with the marriage certificate.
As I said before you have to be French to vote.

I only got the right to vote for the President because of getting the French nationality and of course passport.

My son has a vote as he has a French passport courtesy of his wife. Makes life easier travelling. But they both live in London. Maybe better for Brits who are French residents to get a French passport if they want a vote.

Actually I didn't know that Mamie but I really don't want a
vote now after 30 years in France, English politics are another
world.
What I do want as an official resident in France is
to have the right to vote. They take my taxes quick enough.

Francois Hollande had in his manifesto a few years ago
that after 5 years residency 'immigrants' should be able to
vote but of course that was opening up a big can of worms
and even though he was elected President (the worse one i've
known) he quickly back tracked on it! I've not heard it ever
mentioned again, only the French vote for the President.

I think we are getting our vote back halfpint1. It has gone through the Lords and just needs final stage in the Commons.

Yes same here with no vote in France because I remain English and no vote in England because I live in France.

I misunderstood the post, as well.
They'll need those French polling stations with London being the 5th biggest 'French city' in order of the numbers of French inhabitants - although of course in England. So many French live and/or work there - or they did before Brexit. Hope everyone who has the vote, uses it.

What a horrible word, 'ex-pat'.......shades of the British Raj.
If you're working for your Government in another country, fair enough, otherwise if you live full time in a foreign country, you're an immigrant. We British don't hold back using that word for other nationalities. Living full-time in France makes me an immigrant. I am resident here, speak the language, own my home, pay taxes, employ French trades where necessary, part of the Health system etc.,
But, to be allowed to vote in the national elections, it's necessary to actually be French!
So unless we apply for French nationality, no vote. And since Brexit, I can no longer vote in the local elections for our Mayor.

I may be voteless, but I'm concerned and I'm keeping everything crossed that the French, who traditionally never like the President they vote for, will not vote for Le Pen and her idiotic manifesto which includes, as always, plenty of unrealistic, far far Right 'promises', and a massive dollop of racism, not to mention her fondness for Putin! France will be a very sad place if she becomes President.

Macron from what I have read vegansrock. The French keep their vote for life and the Embassies make it easy for them (except China this time because of quarantine).

Apologies vegansrock I misunderstood - read your post too quickly.