French far-leftist Jean-Luc Mélenchon on Sunday fell just short of advancing to the presidential run-off, leaving far-right flagbearer Marine Le Pen to challenge Emmanuel Macron again for France's top job. But among 18- to 25-year-olds it was Mélenchon, 70, who won the night with 29 percent of their vote. What his supporters do next will be critical on April 24. FRANCE 24 met with students north of Paris who voted for Mélenchon. None were keen to help re-elect Macron, even against the far right.
"Macron or Le Pen, we're screwed in any case. For my first election, I'd hoped for better," mused Esteban, one hand in his pocket, the other resting against a Vélib bike-share stand outside Paris 8-Saint-Denis University, north of the French capital. Voting in Sunday's first round, the 18-year-old cast his vote for Mélenchon. "It was the vote closest to my convictions. I'm not going to lie to you: It makes me lose hope in a better world, or at least one with more social progress," he lamented after his candidate's narrow defeat.
