French President Emmanuel Macron delivers a speech at a rally after the first round of French presidential election in Paris, France, on April 10, 2022. French incumbent President Emmanuel Macron and far-right wing candidate Marine Le Pen are the top two leaders of the first round of the 2022 French presidential election with respectively 28.6 percent and 23.7 percent of the votes, according to a preliminary exit poll carried out Sunday by Elabe and released by French television BFMTV. (Xinhua/Gao Jing)
PARIS, April 10 (Xinhua) -- French incumbent President Emmanuel Macron and far-right wing candidate Marine Le Pen are the top two leaders of the first round of the 2022 presidential election with respectively 28.2 percent and 23.4 percent of the votes, according to a preliminary exit poll carried out Sunday by Elabe and released by French television BFMTV.
Thanking his supporters, President Macron vowed to "implement the project of progress, of French and European openness and independence we have advocated for."
The presidential run-off in the next two weeks will be "decisive" for France and for Europe, Macron said.
"In this decisive moment for the future of the nation, nothing should be as before. That's why I want to reach out to those who want to work for France," Macron continued.
Speaking to her supporters, Le Pen called on all those who did not vote for Macron to join her rally.
"I will ensure national independence, I will control immigration and restore security for all," the far-right wing candidate said.
Entering for a second time into a presidential runoff after 2017, Le Pen said that her ambition is to " unite the French, and to make France a country that reconnects with greatness."
Arriving on third place, far-left wing party Unsubmissive France leader Jean-Luc Melanchon called on his supporters not to vote for Le Pen.
"The French are able to know what to do, they are able to decide what to do. You must not give a vote to Le Pen," he repeated several times during his rally.
Just like Melenchon, most of the unsuccessful candidates of the first round have voiced their supports for Macron for the presidential run-off.
Official preliminary results will be announced on Sunday night or Monday morning after verification by the Interior Ministry.
Macron and Le Pen will compete in the second round of presidential run-off scheduled for April 24. ■
File photo taken on Feb. 5, 2022 shows French far-right National Rally party candidate Marine Le Pen greeting her supporters during a meeting in Reims, France. French incumbent president Emmanuel Macron and far-right wing candidate Marine Le Pen are the top two leaders of the first round of the 2022 French presidential election with respectively 28.5 percent and 24.2 percent of the votes, according to the preliminary exit poll carried out by Elabe and released by French television BFMTV. The two candidates will compete in the presidential run-off scheduled for April 24. (Photo by Rit Heize/Xinhua)
File photo taken on April 2, 2022 shows French President Emmanuel Macron greeting his supporters during his election campaign in Nanterre, on the outskirts of Paris, France. French incumbent president Emmanuel Macron and far-right wing candidate Marine Le Pen are the top two leaders of the first round of the 2022 French presidential election with respectively 28.5 percent and 24.2 percent of the votes, according to the preliminary exit poll carried out by Elabe and released by French television BFMTV. The two candidates will compete in the presidential run-off scheduled for April 24. (Xinhua/Gao Jing)
French far-right National Rally party candidate Marine Le Pen delivers a speech at a rally after the first round of French presidential election in Paris, France, on April 10, 2022. French incumbent President Emmanuel Macron and far-right wing candidate Marine Le Pen are the top two leaders of the first round of the 2022 French presidential election with respectively 28.6 percent and 23.7 percent of the votes, according to a preliminary exit poll carried out Sunday by Elabe and released by French television BFMTV. (Photo by Rit Heize/Xinhua)
French far-right National Rally party candidate Marine Le Pen delivers a speech at a rally after the first round of French presidential election in Paris, France, on April 10, 2022. French incumbent President Emmanuel Macron and far-right wing candidate Marine Le Pen are the top two leaders of the first round of the 2022 French presidential election with respectively 28.6 percent and 23.7 percent of the votes, according to a preliminary exit poll carried out Sunday by Elabe and released by French television BFMTV. (Photo by Rit Heize/Xinhua)
French far-right National Rally party candidate Marine Le Pen delivers a speech at a rally after the first round of French presidential election in Paris, France, on April 10, 2022. French incumbent President Emmanuel Macron and far-right wing candidate Marine Le Pen are the top two leaders of the first round of the 2022 French presidential election with respectively 28.6 percent and 23.7 percent of the votes, according to a preliminary exit poll carried out Sunday by Elabe and released by French television BFMTV. (Photo by Rit Heize/Xinhua)
French far-right National Rally party candidate Marine Le Pen delivers a speech at a rally after the first round of French presidential election in Paris, France, on April 10, 2022. French incumbent President Emmanuel Macron and far-right wing candidate Marine Le Pen are the top two leaders of the first round of the 2022 French presidential election with respectively 28.6 percent and 23.7 percent of the votes, according to a preliminary exit poll carried out Sunday by Elabe and released by French television BFMTV. (Photo by Rit Heize/Xinhua)
French President Emmanuel Macron delivers a speech at a rally after the first round of French presidential election in Paris, France, on April 10, 2022. French incumbent President Emmanuel Macron and far-right wing candidate Marine Le Pen are the top two leaders of the first round of the 2022 French presidential election with respectively 28.6 percent and 23.7 percent of the votes, according to a preliminary exit poll carried out Sunday by Elabe and released by French television BFMTV. (Xinhua/Gao Jing)
French President Emmanuel Macron delivers a speech at a rally after the first round of French presidential election in Paris, France, on April 10, 2022. French incumbent President Emmanuel Macron and far-right wing candidate Marine Le Pen are the top two leaders of the first round of the 2022 French presidential election with respectively 28.6 percent and 23.7 percent of the votes, according to a preliminary exit poll carried out Sunday by Elabe and released by French television BFMTV. (Xinhua/Gao Jing)
