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

Podcast The Intelligence

“A decent track record is not enough to stop the forces of populism rising”—Macron’s win

Also on the daily podcast: the flow of weapons to Ukraine and Britons pay big sums for personalised licence plates

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Video 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

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



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