Macron, Le Pen cast votes in French presidential runoff

PARIS, May 7 (Xinhua) — The two presidential candidates facing off in the final round of a watershed election for both France and Europe casted their votes on Sunday morning.

Centrist former economy minister Emmanuel Macron arrived at a polling station in Le Touquet, north France, accompanied by his wife Brigitte, and casted his vote around 11:00 local time (0900 GMT).

His rival, far-right candidate Marine Le Pen arrived at a polling station in Henin-Beaumont, north France, to cast her vote around 11:05 (0905GMT).

The two contenders proposed very different prospects for France throughout an intense campaign.

Dubbed himself as “the candidate for jobs,” Macon invited electorate from various political views to endorse his pro-business projects and plans to revive the European project.

On the other hand, proposing a strict opposite program based on protectionist approaches, his rival Le Pen promised voters a return to the national currency and tightening internal borders to restore security.

Outgoing French presidential Francois Hollande and prime minister Bernard Cazenveuve both voted around 10:25 (0825GMT).

Nearly 47 million voters are expected to cast their ballots on Sunday in more than 66,000 polling stations on the French European continent.