France began voting on April 23 under heavy security in the first round of a crucial presidential election that could have far-reaching implications for the geopolitical status quo, including the future of the European Union and the West’s relations with Russia.
Over 60,000 polling stations opened at 8:00 a.m. local time. The election — one of the most unpredictable French presidential polls in decades — comes just days after the killing of a Paris police officer that was claimed by the extremist Islamic State (IS) group, thrusting the issues of terrorism and security to the fore in the final stretch of the 11-candidate race.
