PARIS, April 9 (RHC) The first round of the French presidential election began on Saturday in the overseas territories, ahead of voting tomorrow in the 96 urban districts, where the majority of the 49 million registered people live.

The first votes were cast in the Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon archipelago off the Canadian coast of Newfoundland, followed by those in Martinique, Guadeloupe, French Guiana, Saint Martin and Saint Barthelemy.

And while the elections began abroad, an electoral silence has been in effect on the continental lands since midnight Friday, which prohibits the publication of messages by 12 candidates, as well as opinion polls and interviews related to the elections.

Tables in the urban part will open on Sunday at 08:00 local time, and the first results are expected from 20:00.

All polls indicated a reissue of the 2017 poll between President Emmanuel Macron and far-right representative Marine Le Pen, with La Francia Insumisa leader Jean-Luc Mélenchon in third place, with options to advance to second place. The tour, scheduled for April 24. (source:PL)