French Presidental Election, 2017 (BobSmit)

French Presidental Francois Hollande stood for re-election in 2017 as the candidate for his Socialist Party.

Candidates
Socialist Party (PS)- Incumbent president Francois Hollande stood for re-election as the candidate for the centre-left party.

When past president Nicholas Sarkozy chose not to stand for re-election under the centre-right party, it split into two new forces:

Liberal Union for a Popular Movement (L-UMP)- Past Prime Minster Francois Fillon led this break-away group, and stood as their presidental candidate. They make up the centre/centre-right wing of the party.

People's Union for A Popular Movement (P-UMP)- Former Finance Minster Jean-Francois Cope leads this group, made up of the right-wing and moderately anti-immigrant wing of the party.

National Front (FN)- This far-right party chose popular and charasmatic party leader Marine La-Pen as their candidate.

Left Front (FG)- Jean Luc Melenchon stood as the candidate for this socialist/communist union of far-left parties.

Results
In the first round, a divided UMP allowed far-right candidate Marine La-Pen to secure second place, moving her on to the second round. This also happened in 2002 when La-Pen's father, Jean Marie La-Pen, beat out the Socialist Candidate to move him to a second round defeat against the Rally for the Republic's Jacques Chirac. In the second round, La-Pen gained 13% of the vote, stemming mainly from three places: Some of  Cope's more right-wing voters, minor far-right party voters, and conservative voters who would do anything not to see Hollande back in. This election was a massive win for the National Front, who dramatically increased their national profile and skyrocketed La-Pen to be one of the most important politicians in the country.