• A policeman securing the entrance of a polling station as people arrive to vote in Henin-Beaumont, France. Pascal Rossignol/Reuters
    A policeman securing the entrance of a polling station as people arrive to vote in Henin-Beaumont, France. Pascal Rossignol/Reuters
  • Names of the 2017 French presidential election candidates seen printed. Christian Hartmann/Reuters
    Names of the 2017 French presidential election candidates seen printed. Christian Hartmann/Reuters
  • People line up to vote in the first round of 2017 French presidential election at a polling station in Vaulx-en-Velin near Lyon, France, April 23, 2017. Emmanuel Foudrot/Reuters
    People line up to vote in the first round of 2017 French presidential election at a polling station in Vaulx-en-Velin near Lyon, France, April 23, 2017. Emmanuel Foudrot/Reuters
  • Polls suggest far-right nationalist Marine Le Pen and Emmanuel Macron, an independent centrist and former economy minister, were in the lead. Seen here is a woman coming out of a voting booth at a polling station in Pantin, north-east of Paris. Benjamin Cremel/AFP
    Polls suggest far-right nationalist Marine Le Pen and Emmanuel Macron, an independent centrist and former economy minister, were in the lead. Seen here is a woman coming out of a voting booth at a polling station in Pantin, north-east of Paris. Benjamin Cremel/AFP
  • France’s 10 per cent unemployment, its lacklustre economy and security were issues that top concerns for the 47 million eligible voters. A police car is seen parked outside a polling station in Rennes, western France. Damien Meyer/AFP
    France’s 10 per cent unemployment, its lacklustre economy and security were issues that top concerns for the 47 million eligible voters. A police car is seen parked outside a polling station in Rennes, western France. Damien Meyer/AFP
  • Photographers and journalists stand next to a campaign poster of French presidential election candidate for the far-right Front National party Marine Le Pen outside a polling station in Henin-Beaumont, northern France. Francois Lo Presti/AFP
    Photographers and journalists stand next to a campaign poster of French presidential election candidate for the far-right Front National party Marine Le Pen outside a polling station in Henin-Beaumont, northern France. Francois Lo Presti/AFP
  • Voters show their identification before casting their votes at a polling in Tulle central France on April 23, 2017, after a campaign clouded by security fears following a recent attack on police guarding the Champs-Elysees in Paris. Bob Edme/ AP Photo
    Voters show their identification before casting their votes at a polling in Tulle central France on April 23, 2017, after a campaign clouded by security fears following a recent attack on police guarding the Champs-Elysees in Paris. Bob Edme/ AP Photo
  • Security was tight with the government mobilising more than 50,000 police and gendarmes to protect polling stations, with an additional 7,000 soldiers on patrol. Here, voters are seen at a polling station in Lyon, France on April 23, 2017. Robert Pratta/Reuters
    Security was tight with the government mobilising more than 50,000 police and gendarmes to protect polling stations, with an additional 7,000 soldiers on patrol. Here, voters are seen at a polling station in Lyon, France on April 23, 2017. Robert Pratta/Reuters
  • In Paris, voters were lining up early at polling stations. Emilio Morenatti/AP Photo
    In Paris, voters were lining up early at polling stations. Emilio Morenatti/AP Photo
  • Voters in Strasbourg, northeastern France. Frederick Florin/AFP
    Voters in Strasbourg, northeastern France. Frederick Florin/AFP

World

First round of French voting under way - in pictures

Rob Gurdebeke

April 23, 2017

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Voting began in France on Sunday in the first round of a bitterly fought presidential election that is crucial to the future of Europe and a closely-watched test of voters’ anger with the political establishment.

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