'Not a single vote': Losing candidates urge French voters not to back Le Pen
Several of the losing candidates in the first round of the presidential election called on French voters to back Emmanuel Macron, however there were two defeated candidates who called on supporters to back Marine Le Pen.
Ten presidential candidates were eliminated from the race for the Elysée in Sunday's first round vote, but they still have a chance to influence the second round.
In the aftermath of the results several candidates urged voters to follow their lead when it comes to the second round vote on April 24th.
READ MORE Macron v Le Pen: What happens next in the French elections?
Here's what they had to say.
Pro-Macron
French President Emmanuel Macron on Sunday received the backing of the defeated Socialist, Communist, Green and
right-wing candidates in his second-round election battle later this month against far-right leader Marine Le Pen.
In a boost for the president, Communist Party candidate Fabien Roussel, Socialist Anne Hidalgo, Yannick Jadot of the Greens and right-wing Republicans candidate Valérie Pécresse said they would vote for him to prevent the far-right leader coming to power.
“I will vote for Emmanuel Macron, in good conscience, to stop Marine Le Pen coming to power,” Pécresse told a crowd of supporters.
“I am calling on those electors who trusted me to consider the seriousness of any vote different to my own at the second round.”
Valérie Pécresse: "Je voterai, en conscience, Emmanuel Macron pour empêcher l'arrivée au pouvoir de Marine Le Pen et le chaos qui en résulterait" pic.twitter.com/6cAE0jkBn2
— BFMTV (@BFMTV) April 10, 2022
The third-placed candidate, left-wing firebrand Jean Luc Mélenchon, stopped short of instructing his supporters to vote for Macron, but was clear that they should not support Le Pen.
"We know who we will never vote for... Not a single vote must go to Mrs Le Pen," Melenchon said at his party headquarters in Paris, stopping short of telling supporters they should back Macron.
Jean-Luc Mélenchon: "Il ne faut pas donner une seule voix à Madame Le Pen" pic.twitter.com/hdkeP6G6cb
— BFMTV (@BFMTV) April 10, 2022
Pro-Le Pen
Far-right TV pundit-turned-candidate Éric Zemmour predictably appealed to his supporters to vote for Le Pen in the second round.
"I don't make a mistake over who my opponents are. I call on my voters to vote for Marine Le Pen," Zemmour told supporters after being knocked out of the contest in the first round.
Nicolas Dupont-Aignan, a fringe sovereigntist candidate also called on his supporters to back Le Pen.
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Ten presidential candidates were eliminated from the race for the Elysée in Sunday's first round vote, but they still have a chance to influence the second round.
In the aftermath of the results several candidates urged voters to follow their lead when it comes to the second round vote on April 24th.
READ MORE Macron v Le Pen: What happens next in the French elections?
Here's what they had to say.
Pro-Macron
French President Emmanuel Macron on Sunday received the backing of the defeated Socialist, Communist, Green and
right-wing candidates in his second-round election battle later this month against far-right leader Marine Le Pen.
In a boost for the president, Communist Party candidate Fabien Roussel, Socialist Anne Hidalgo, Yannick Jadot of the Greens and right-wing Republicans candidate Valérie Pécresse said they would vote for him to prevent the far-right leader coming to power.
“I will vote for Emmanuel Macron, in good conscience, to stop Marine Le Pen coming to power,” Pécresse told a crowd of supporters.
“I am calling on those electors who trusted me to consider the seriousness of any vote different to my own at the second round.”
Valérie Pécresse: "Je voterai, en conscience, Emmanuel Macron pour empêcher l'arrivée au pouvoir de Marine Le Pen et le chaos qui en résulterait" pic.twitter.com/6cAE0jkBn2
— BFMTV (@BFMTV) April 10, 2022
The third-placed candidate, left-wing firebrand Jean Luc Mélenchon, stopped short of instructing his supporters to vote for Macron, but was clear that they should not support Le Pen.
"We know who we will never vote for... Not a single vote must go to Mrs Le Pen," Melenchon said at his party headquarters in Paris, stopping short of telling supporters they should back Macron.
Jean-Luc Mélenchon: "Il ne faut pas donner une seule voix à Madame Le Pen" pic.twitter.com/hdkeP6G6cb
— BFMTV (@BFMTV) April 10, 2022
Pro-Le Pen
Far-right TV pundit-turned-candidate Éric Zemmour predictably appealed to his supporters to vote for Le Pen in the second round.
"I don't make a mistake over who my opponents are. I call on my voters to vote for Marine Le Pen," Zemmour told supporters after being knocked out of the contest in the first round.
Nicolas Dupont-Aignan, a fringe sovereigntist candidate also called on his supporters to back Le Pen.
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