France goes to presidential poll amid high security

Paris April 23 (IANS) Voting began on Sunday across France in the first round of the presidential poll amid high security following a deadly attack in Paris three days ago.

Socio-liberal Emmanuel Macron right-wing Marine Le Pen conservative Francois Fillon and leftist Jean-Luc Melenchon are the leading candidates alongside eight others vying to qualify for the second round on May 7 Efe news reported.

Polling stations in France opened at 8 a.m. although some overseas territories began the voting on Saturday reports the BBC.

Voting ends at 8 p.m. and exit polls are expected shortly afterwards.

About 50 000 police and 7 000 soldiers were deployed across the country to secure polling.

President Francois Hollande is not seeking a second term and is the first French President in modern history to do so.

Extra security measures were made after Karim Cheurfi a convicted criminal on Thursday shot a police officer in the head on the Champs Elysees in Paris.

Cheurfi was killed by security forces and a note defending the so-called Islamic State group was found near his body.

France the world s sixth-largest economy and a key player in Europe has been under a state of emergency since the November 2015 terror attacks in Paris.

--IANS
ksk/vt