France: No Mainstream President

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Emmanuel Macron and Marine Le Pen advance to the final round of the French election set for May 17.

Macron is a politically inexperienced former investment banker in favor of staying in the EU and reforming French economic laws. His supporters often consider Le Pen extremist.

Le Pen is anti-immigration and is in favor of laws restricting some public displays of Muslim culture, such as head scarves, in favor of “France first.” The group that supports this candidate is considered fairly far-Right, and they value more control for France, including being allowed to regulate the borders, manage their currency (devalue it if they want to), and to have tools to combat the ill effects of globalization.

Both candidates combined received less than 50% of the vote, so many people will be making a second choice in the election.