French Presidential Election 2017: When is it, how does it work and who are the candidates?

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http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/0/french-presidential-election-2017-does-work-candidates1/

23 APRIL 2017

The French will go to the polls this weekend, and again on May 7 to pick their new president, and the world will be watching to see just how far the "populist wave" has travelled.

After the surprise of Britain's Brexit referendum and the election of Donald Trump as US president, just what kind of politician – and politics – France chooses will be of huge interest to many, not just those inside Europe.

Here's everything you need to know about the battle for the Élysée Palace.

Who are the candidates?
The top five candidates in 2017's French election are, in alphabetical order: François Fillon (Les Republicains), Benoît Hamon (Socialists), Marine Le Pen (Front National) and Emmanuel Macron (Independent) and Jean-Luc Mélenchon (Unbowed France).

While there is no clear winner at this stage – political scandals, distrust of polls, the shock Brexit result and Donald Trump's victory mean that sure bets off – there is a frontrunner.

When is the election?
Candidates are pitted against each other twice – the first round of the vote takes place on Sunday, April 23. Then, the two top candidates face each other in a second run-off, on Sunday, May 7.

French elections always take place on a Sunday.

Who's the favourite to win?
French elections are usually a two-horse race between the conservative Les Republicains (formerly the UMP) and the Left-wing Socialist Party. But for this year's election, the goalposts have moved.

François Hollande's Socialist Party is in tatters after a disastrous term that has made him one of the least popular presidents in the country's history.

And with Les Republicain's François Fillon smarting from the scandal over claims he paid his wife thousands of euros to do a fictitious job, his victory is no longer a foregone conclusion.

Much ink has also been spilled over the possibility that Marine Le Pen could ride to the Élysée Palace on a wave of populism.

Only one Front National (FN) presidential candidate has made it to the second round – Jean-Marie Le Pen in 2002. His daughter Marine is virtually assured of doing so, current polls suggest, but her chances of winning the run-off remain highly unlikely.

Mr Macron has emerged in recent weeks as the clear favourite to win the second round runoff, but nothing is set in stone.

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