2022 French presidential election

2022 French presidential election
Talleyrand6 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
Name	2022 French presidential election
Country	France
Type	presidential
Previous election	2017 French presidential election
Previous year	2017
Next election	2027 French presidential election
Next year	2027
Election date	10 April and 24 April 2022

Contents

2022 French presidential election was held in France with a first round on 10 April 2022 and a runoff on 24 April 2022, resulting in the re-election of Emmanuel Macron against Marine Le Pen. The contest featured a wide field including representatives from La République En Marche!, Les Républicains, Parti Socialiste (France), Rassemblement National, La France Insoumise, Europe Ecology – The Greens and smaller formations such as Reconquête (French political party), Parti Communiste Français and Debout la France. International observers noted implications for European Union, NATO, Eurozone policy and relations with United States, Russia, China and Ukraine amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine (2022).

Background and electoral system

The election followed the five-year term established by the French Fifth Republic under the Constitution of France and the 2000 change to the presidential term, with voting regulated by the Constitutional Council (France), Ministry of the Interior (France), and electoral law dating to the French electoral code. Presidential elections in France use a two-round system inherited from reforms associated with Charles de Gaulle and institutionalized during the collapse of the Fourth Republic, with a runoff between the two leading candidates if no candidate achieves an absolute majority in the first round. Eligibility and signature requirements are overseen by the Constitutional Council (France), requiring endorsements from elected officials across territorial collectivities such as Île-de-France, Nouvelle-Aquitaine, Hauts-de-France and overseas collectivities like Guadeloupe and Réunion. Campaign finance and media access are regulated by the National Commission for Campaign Accounts and Political Financing and broadcast rules enforced by the Conseil supérieur de l'audiovisuel.

Opinion polling by organizations like Ifop, Ipsos, Harris Interactive, OpinionWay and YouGov tracked first round and runoff scenarios, with polling tables reflecting shifting support among constituencies such as voters in Paris, Marseille, Lyon and overseas voters in Martinique and French Guiana. Endorsements came from figures across the spectrum including former presidents François Hollande and François Fillon supporters, party leaders such as Olivia Grégoire and Gérald Darmanin aligning publicly, as well as endorsements from unions like Confédération française démocratique du travail and interest groups including Conseil national des barreaux. International reactions and endorsements—informal or observed—referenced comments from leaders of the European People's Party, Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats, Party of the European Left and foreign heads such as Angela Merkel (via statements from Christian Democratic Union of Germany) and Joe Biden (via White House remarks).

The first round produced a plural field outcome with Emmanuel Macron finishing first and Marine Le Pen second, while Jean-Luc Mélenchon, Éric Zemmour, Valérie Pécresse and Yannick Jadot trailed, reflecting fragmentation reminiscent of earlier contests like the 2002 French legislative election and the 2017 French presidential election. Turnout figures were reported by the Ministry of the Interior (France), showing regional variation across departments such as Seine-Saint-Denis, Bouches-du-Rhône and Gironde and in overseas territories including Guadeloupe and Réunion. Vote shares were analyzed by media outlets including Le Monde, Le Figaro, Libération and Mediapart, while commentators from Sciences Po and universities like Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne and Université Toulouse 1 Capitole debated implications for legislative elections and coalition arithmetic with parties like New Popular Front proposals referenced.

The runoff on 24 April culminated in a victory for Emmanuel Macron over Marine Le Pen with a majority of ballots cast, amid analyses by Conseil constitutionnel-level authorities and coverage by international outlets including BBC News, The New York Times and Der Spiegel. The result prompted statements from European institutions such as the European Commission and leaders including Ursula von der Leyen and Charles Michel, and reactions from national politicians like Jean Castex, Nicolas Sarkozy allies and left-wing groups mobilized by Jean-Luc Mélenchon endorsements patterns. Turnout and spoilage rates were scrutinized by academics at institutions such as École normale supérieure and polling houses including Ifop, with attention to urban-rural splits in places like Grand Est and Centre-Val de Loire.

Following the election, Emmanuel Macron appointed a prime minister in line with conventions of the French Fifth Republic and engaged in consultations with party leaders across Assemblée nationale factions including La France Insoumise, Les Républicains and Rassemblement National. The result shaped the subsequent French legislative election, influenced cabinet choices touching ministries such as Ministry of the Interior (France), Ministry of the Economy, Finance and Recovery (France), and affected France's posture within the European Union, NATO and on dossiers involving Ukraine and Sahel conflict policy debates. Protests and demonstrations by groups including Yellow vests movement sympathizers and trade unions like Confédération générale du travail occurred alongside parliamentary negotiations, while legal and constitutional scholars at Université Panthéon-Assas and Sciences Po analyzed implications for institutional reform and the presidency's relationship with assemblies.

Category:Presidential elections in France Category:2022 elections in France