Bond-market nerves and narrowing polls have drawn fresh attention to the risk of a President Marine Le Pen in France this spring. Since the start of 2017, the leader of the nationalist Front National (FN) has consistently topped voting intentions for the first round of the presidential election, which takes place on April 23. No poll this year, though, has suggested that she might win the second-round run-off on May 7. Under the country’s directly elected two-round presidency, she needs to win an absolute majority of votes cast. This sets the bar high—but, arithmetically, it could happen.
The Economist: How Marine Le Pen could win the French presidency
French presidential election candidate for the far-right Front National (FN) party Marine Le Pen (C) speaks to journalists during a visit to the St. Louis border crossing with Italy at Menton in southeastern France, on Feb. 13, 2017.
