Fate of Europe will depend on winner of the French presidential election

The results of one of the most divisive and unpredictable presidential contests in recent French history, which saw early frontrunner, the conservative François Fillon, laid low by a corruption scandal and judicial investigation; a late surge by Jean-Luc Mélenchon the far-left firebrand who wants to take France out of the European Union and NATO; and the Socialist Party candidate Benoît Hamon come in a distant fifth place, are now in.

Centrist Emmanuel Macron and far-right Marine Le Pen will face off on May 7 in the second round of voting to