The latest polls indicate that French President Emmanuel Macron clings to a slim lead over Marine Le Pen heading into Sunday's election.
However, Macron's advantage over the National Party leader was within the margin of error, and many French voters remained undecided, Express reported this past weekend.
The media outlet added that the projected turnout for the election was markedly lower than the 75% of registered voters that participated in 2017's presidential second round — the lowest turnout since 1969.
The Express also said that the "fault line" in French politics now is between progressivism and populism. The danger for Macron is that in the election's first round, populist candidates of all stripes totaled 58% of the vote, while progressive candidates received only 42%.
Clearly, Macron's role in the Russia-Ukraine war has not played out the way the president had hoped.
Macron engaged Russian President Vladimir Putin and tried to play a role in resolving the war, but the French people believe imposed sanctions have hurt France more than Russia.
Le Pen has stated that she will support the sanctions only if they do not hurt the French.
A right-wing candidate who previously expressed a desire for closer relations between France and Russia, Le Pen has remained focused on France's economy during the current campaign.
While Macron has attempted to paint Le Pen as pro-Russian, the Democracy Institute/Sunday Express poll found that a narrow plurality of voters said she was not.
The poll also found that many French voters, despite opposing the Russian invasion, do not see Ukraine as a very important issue.
A plurality of voters think France should leave NATO, and see both terrorism and China as more threatening than Russia, the Democracy Institute/Sunday Express poll found.
Most French voters are not anti-European Union, the Express said, but they were ambivalent about the benefits it provides their country.
In 2017, Macron defeated Le Pen after touting his economic policy during their debate. But now, Macron is seen by many as "the president of the rich," and most voters say his economic reforms favor the wealthy.
Le Pen held healthy leads on issues such as inflation, jobs, and the economy, the poll found.
The Express also said that Le Pen held an 11-point "enthusiasm gap" over Macron. That translated into the vast majority of Le Pen voters will be casting a positive ballot, one in support of the party leader rather against Macron.
Many Macron voters, though, were expected to be voting against Le Pen rather than for the president.
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