An equation with two unknowns: How newspapers reacted to Macron and Le Pen wins in first round of French election
Centrist Emmanuel Macron and far-Right populist Marine Le Pen advanced Sunday to a runoff in France's presidential election, remaking the country's political landscape and setting up a showdown over its participation in the European Union.
Sunday's outcome is a huge defeat for the centre-right and centre-left that have dominated French politics for 60 years, and also reduces the prospect of an anti-establishment shock on the scale of Britain's vote last June to quit the European Union and the election of Donald Trump as US president in November.
French politicians on the left and right immediately urged voters to block Ms Le Pen's path to power in the May 7 runoff, saying her virulently nationalist anti-EU and anti-immigration politics would spell disaster for France.
Here is how newspapers in France and around the world reacted to the results.
Le Figaro (France)
Newspaper Le Figaro says " Right KO" on its front page. The paper says that the elimination of Conservative François Fillon followed by revolutionary Leftist Jean-Luc Mélenchon constitutes an "historic defeat" for the Right.
«La droite K.-O.» La une du @Le_Figaro de lundi pic.twitter.com/zf3klnYgoM
— T Quinault Maupoil (@TristanQM) April 23, 2017
Le Parisien (France)
French daily newspaper Le Parisien features a large photograph of the Centrist candidate and an headline reading "The Macron sensation".
Three smaller headlines split up the candidates in "the winner", "the finalist" and "the losers".
Voici la Une du journal daté de lundi --> La sensation Macron pic.twitter.com/VoYqVPwBj4
— Le Parisien (@le_Parisien) 23 April 2017
Libération (France)
Left-leaning national newspaper Libération says "Presidential election: at one step", playing on the name of Mr Macron's movement En Marche! (On the Move).
The leading newspaper goes on to say that as Ms Le Pen and Mr Macron progress to the second round Mr Fillon and Mr Mélenchon were "tail-to-tail" leaving Socialist Benoît Hamon far behind. "The calls to block FN (Front National) multiply".
LIBERATION: Presidentielle : A une Marche #tomorrowspaperstodaypic.twitter.com/ugeMgqouMZ
— Neil Henderson (@hendopolis) 23 April 2017
L'Humanité (France)
Left wing daily L'Humanité says "never" over a photograph of Marine Le Pen on its Monday front page. The former Communist party paper goes on to say "let's come together" against the far-Right candidate.
A la une de l'Humanité demain Lundi 24 avril : #SecondTour Marine le Pen, jamais. https://t.co/q0L8s08vGS#PremierTour#Presidentielle2017pic.twitter.com/kxGqYdlmKF
— l'Humanité.fr (@humanite_fr) 23 April 2017
La Dépêche du Midi (France)
La Dépêche du Midi, a regional daily published in Toulouse, writes "the duel" over a split image of Marine Le Pen and Emmanuel Macron on its Monday front page.
#Presidentielle2017 "Le duel" #Macron#LePen à la Une de @ladepechedumidi ce lundi pic.twitter.com/RVqJ0DSTSV
— La Dépêche du Midi (@ladepechedumidi) 23 April 2017
Le Soir (Belgium)
Belgium's leading French-language newspaper Le Soir features a photograph of a smiling Emmanuel Macron with the play on words "On the move to the Élysée".
La Une du @lesoir ce lundi https://t.co/vsvqkZkC2ppic.twitter.com/EdshPcHedd
— Le Soir (@lesoir) 23 April 2017
Le Temps (Switzerland)
Swiss newspaper Le Temps in Geneva says "An equation with two unknowns" on its front page pointing out that with the two traditional parties "dismissed" France finds itself in an unprecedented situation.
«Une équation à deux inconnues» : la Une du journal @LeTemps du 24 avril. #presidentielle2017pic.twitter.com/3AAw2kceMw
— Le Temps (@letemps) 23 April 2017
El Mundo (Spain)
Spanish newspaper El Mundo says "Macron shaping up to be the next French president". It goes on to say that Ms Le Pen and Mr Macron are in a "virtual tie" while the "hegemonic parties of the Fifth Republic have been punished."
#LaPortada del lunes 24 de abril. pic.twitter.com/D3NAPpE2cK
— EL MUNDO (@elmundoes) 23 April 2017
La Repubblica (Italy)
Italy's La Repubblica features the election prominently on its front page saying: "Macron-Le Pen, Europe at stake".
La Stampa (Italy)
Italian daily La Stampa says "The duel which transforms France".
The Daily Telegraph (UK)
TELEGRAPH: Labours nuclear implosion #tomorrowspaperstodaypic.twitter.com/SWHlHSXWYB
— Neil Henderson (@hendopolis) 23 April 2017
The Guardian (UK)
GUARDIAN It's Macron versus Le Pen #tomorrowspaperstodaypic.twitter.com/mVDhkOQc86
— Neil Henderson (@hendopolis) 23 April 2017
The Times (UK)
TIMES: French elite humiliated as outsiders sweep to victory #tomorrowspaperstodaypic.twitter.com/4UVWICjgrs
— Neil Henderson (@hendopolis) 23 April 2017
Daily Mail (UK)
MAIL: New French Revolution #tomorrowspaperstodaypic.twitter.com/LnUmmcHB3s
— Neil Henderson (@hendopolis) 23 April 2017
City AM (UK)
CITY AM: Macron to face Le Pen in French Showdown #tomorrowspaperstodaypic.twitter.com/qkn4TYzAKh
— Neil Henderson (@hendopolis) 23 April 2017
Financial Times
FINANCIAL TIMES:Macron and Le Pen to face off #tomorrowspaperstodaypic.twitter.com/3VioDXn6Ub
— Neil Henderson (@hendopolis) 23 April 2017