In the French presidential elections, the two candidates, outgoing President Emmanuel Macron and his nationalist right-wing rival Marine Le Pen remained silent on Saturday, the day after the official campaign for a vote whose results appear decisive for the country's future.


The latest opinion polls revealed that Macron will win the second round, which constitutes a second version of the one that took place in 2017, with a smaller difference than the one recorded five years ago when he received 66% of the vote. However, the abstention rate may have a significant impact.


Both camps fear that their voters will abstain, especially in this period of spring school holidays across the country.


The historical significance of the Election


Whoever wins, this ballot will have historical significance.


Macron will become the first re-elected president since Jacques Chirac in 2002 (and the first president to be re-elected outside a period of coexistence with a government by another politician since the head of state was elected by direct universal suffrage in 1962). As for Le Pen, she will become the first woman and the first leader of the far-right to hold the presidency.


As of Saturday, public meetings and the distribution of leaflets and digital advertising of candidates are prohibited. The results of an opinion poll cannot be published before the first estimates are announced at 20:00 (18:00 GMT) Sunday.


Until the last moment, each candidate urged his supporters to go to the polling stations, stressing that he did not settle anything, whatever the expectations or opinion polls.


Macron concluded his campaign, which he started late due to the war in Ukraine, with a meeting in Vigiac in the rural region of Le Pen (central France). At the same time, Marine Le Pen, who toured around the country for a month, ended her campaign in her stronghold in Pas-de-Calais (Northern France).


Where do the votes of Melanchon voters go?


The two contenders courted voters for the radical leftist candidate Jean-Luc Melenchon, who came in third place in the first round, which took place on April 10, after Le Pen, and won about 22% of the vote.


Because of the time difference, the overseas territories of Guadeloupe, Guyana, Martinique, Saint Barthelemy, Saint Martin, Saint Pierre-et-Miquelon and French Polynesia will vote on Saturday.


The health crisis largely overshadowed the campaign and then the war in Ukraine, which affected the French's purchasing power, the primary concern, given the repercussions of the conflict on energy and food prices.


To attract Melenchon voters, Marine Le Pen has promised to protect the weakest, while Emmanuel Macron has swung to the left, vowing to put the environment at the heart of his business.


TV debate results


The televised debate, on Wednesday evening, between the two candidates who qualified for the second round revealed the profound difference in their positions on Europe, the economy, purchasing power, relations with Russia, pensions and immigration.


Le Pen tried to entrap her rival in the numbers trap, but she fell, embarrassing her when he said that her call to ban the headscarf in public places would lead to a civil war, so her argument declined on this subject.


Macron said, "The issue of the veil concerns a particular religion. Secularism is not a fight against any religion. The veil is forbidden in school, but banning it in cities will lead to civil war. What you are saying is very dangerous."


Whoever wins, the legislative elections scheduled for June could become a "third round", as it is difficult for both Le Pen and Macron to obtain a parliamentary majority. 


Melenchon also expressed his ambition to become prime minister and thus impose coexistence, hoping for a big vote for the deputies of his "Rebellious France" party, which started negotiations with other leftist formations.


On the other hand, a third-round could take place in the streets along the lines of the popular protest of the "yellow vests" in 2018-2019, especially regarding Emmanuel Macron's project to reform the pension systems, which angers part of public opinion.


But if Marine Le Pen wins, the tremors may start from Sunday evening, and the country will enter into the unknown the next day.