French election 2022
Our coverage of the fight for the presidency
Emmanuel Macron has been re-elected as the president of France, the first sitting French president to have been so in 20 years. In the second round of voting, Mr Macron, a centrist, secured an impressive 58.5% of the vote over the nationalist-populist Marine Le Pen.
The Economist has covered every aspect of the election, from the run-up to the result, as well as the context needed to make sense of it all. You can find all that analysis on this page. If you are not already a subscriber you can unlock some of our content by registering here.
Latest on the race
Emmanuel Macron’s triumph, and the challenges he now faces
The anger that buoyed Marine Le Pen will not go away
France’s re-elected president prepares for a tough second term
A new government, and a new governing style
Second-round results in detail
Emmanuel Macron has won the election
Macron overcomes Le Pen, and apathy
Turnout in France’s election was the lowest in more than 50 years—but still higher than in comparable countries
The Intelligence
“A decent track record is not enough to stop the forces of populism rising”—Macron’s win
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France’s presidential election
Why are the French fed up?
The polls suggest Emmanuel Macron is likely to win re-election. But the French are unhappy, both with him and the state of the country
Emmanuel Macron
Emmanuel Macron did better than it seems in the first round of France’s election
He still has the advantage over Marine Le Pen in the run-off
Why Macron matters
France’s president presents a cautionary tale for centrists everywhere
1843 magazine | Emmanuel Macron’s charm offensive
A profile of France’s president who is respected but unloved
Emmanuel Macron, surreptitious socialist
The French president, seducer of the right, has embraced big government
Marine Le Pen
Marine Le Pen has never been so close to winning France’s highest office
But Emmanuel Macron remains the favourite
1843 magazine | Marine le Pen, L’Etrangère
Sophie Pedder on the brutal beginnings of the leader of the nationalistic revival sweeping Europe
Marine Le Pen hopes for another face-off against Emmanuel Macron
The populist’s third try at France’s presidency is unlikely to succeed
Emmanuel Macron’s troubles open up space for Marine Le Pen
But they also bring greater scrutiny
The context
France is doing well, but feeling miserable
Blame a looming election, the structure of the state and an innate Gallic gloom
Why is it so unusual for a French president to win re-election?
Political disaffection and national character both play a role
Fractured France: A country with deep fault lines
Emmanuel Macron promised unity. Remaining divisions will complicate the next five years
The strange tenderness of Michel Houellebecq’s new novel
In “Anéantir”, a bard of modern France takes a surprisingly upbeat turn