World Has Eyes on France

The voting is underway in France, where President Emmanuel Macron hopes to become the first French leader in 20 years to win reelection. The vote, however, is seen as one with potentially huge global implications as well should far-right challenger Marine Le Pen pull off an upset, given her longtime support of Vladimir Putin.

• Polls: Going into Sunday's vote, Macron led all the major polls, though the lead varied from 6 to 15 points, reports the AP. That is much closer than when the two previously squared off.
• Stat to watch: The general consensus is that Macron should prevail unless turnout is low. As of noon in France, turnout (26.4%) was about 2 points lower than in the last French election at midday, per France24. Whether that's enough to sway the results is unclear. The first exit polls are due about 2pm Eastern.

• Shorthand: The BBC sums up the race, one in which it finds that many voters are not happy with either candidate: "Macron's detractors call him arrogant and a president of the rich, while the far-right leader has been accused of having ties" to Putin. The AP has a more in-depth look at each candidate and their political and personal backgrounds.

(More France stories.)