Voting has begun in the French social-democratic primary, with more than 140,000 people taking part, according to Le Monde.fr. The first round will decide which candidate the social-democratic left puts forward for the presidential election.
Le Monde.fr reports that the contest is more uncertain than expected. BFM reported that around 140,000 voters are choosing their candidate, and that the first round has now started.
Coverage of the race has focused on the leading figures. Les Echos described the first round as a contest between a possible "Glucksmann tsunami" and a "Faure surprise," saying the outcome is wide open. Paris Match listed Glucksmann as the favourite, Faure as the challenger, and Royal as a returning figure.
Turnout has also drawn scrutiny. 20 Minutes asked whether the primary, which it called "small," had failed to generate momentum, pointing to what it described as a lack of popular enthusiasm.
The primary is being held to select a single social-democratic candidate ahead of the presidential election. The reports do not give a date for the result or name the full field of candidates beyond those mentioned.
What to watch next: the first-round result, and whether turnout grows or stalls in the next stage of voting.
