For a long time it looked as if incumbent Emmanuel Macron had a good chance of being re-elected.
But in recent days, right-wing populist Marine Le Pen has caught up in the polls.
She even had a chance of beating Macron in a runoff.
In a survey by Harris Interactive, 48.5 percent of respondents voted for the head of the Rassemblement National party, 51.5 percent for Macron and his party La République en Marche.
In this episode of SPIEGEL Daily, France correspondent Britta Sandberg explains how this came about.
She describes the differences in the election campaign: Macron with a perfectly staged mega show, Le Pen with many small appearances and personal encounters.
What mistakes has the President made and why do many French people consider him arrogant?
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