Macron Leading in French Runoff Vote With 62.5% - First Preliminary Results

According to the French Interior Ministry citing preliminary results of the election runoff as over 30 percent of votes (11 million) have been counted, centrist candidate Emmanuel Macron is leading in the presidential race with 60.52 percent.

As of the latest data, Le Pen is gaining 39.48 percent of votes.

According to the first preliminary results by the French Interior Ministry cited by Swiss media as 10 million of votes have been counted, Emmanuel Macron has been leading in the French election runoff with 62.5 percent. According to 24Heures citing the French Interior Ministry, the voter turnout is estimated at 74 percent.

Later in the day, preliminary results released after 20 percent of votes have been counted showed that Macron is winning with 59.93 percent. Le Pen though is leading so far in seven French northern departments.

She has already congratulated her rival after the first results' announcement.

The polling stations opened in France at 8 a.m. local time on Sunday. In the second round of the vote, two candidates face each other: independent Emmanuel Macron, the leader of "En Marche!" movement, who got 24 percent of the votes in the first round, and right-wing Marine Le Pen, who came second with 21 percent of the votes.

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