PARIS: After an election campaign like no other, France is about to have a president like no other: either Marine Le Pen, a far-right populist who could reshape Europe's postwar order and become France's first female leader, or Emmanuel Macron, a brainy upstart who's daring the French to gamble on a startup-style new political construction. The outcome of Sunday's presidential runoff hinges on the millions of voters repelled by them both, who must make a choice – whether to hand Macron his expected victory, or stay home and risk handing Le Pen a surprise win.

Macron took the moral high ground at wartime memorial sites, reminding French voters that Le Pen's father has downplayed the Holocaust and France's shameful Nazi collaboration.

The climax of the campaign may have been Wednesday's debate, when 15 million French tuned in to see if Le Pen would crush Macron alive.

While a Macron presidency looks increasingly likely, it would not be easy. He would need all his youthful energy and optimism to heal a deeply divided France, with Le Pen in place as a formidable political opponent.

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