As French voters get ready to go to the polls to pick their next president, French media houses are required to enter an electoral "blackout period" starting midnight on Saturday. This prevents them from quoting presidential candidates or their supporters, and from giving out any election results until polling stations close at 8pm on Sunday.
"No polls, results or electoral statements may be broadcast during this period in order not to influence the vote of voters," Arcom, France’s public regulatory authority for audiovisual and digital communication, said on its website.
Polls open promptly in mainland France at 8am local time on Sunday 10 April. Voters in the world's seventh-largest economy will have their pick of 12 candidates for the presidential election.
French voters in overseas territories and living abroad will head to the polls on Saturday.
During this blackout period, television and radio stations may broadcast reports on the voting of candidates and their supporters, without giving them the floor. This prohibition also applies to the Internet media.
The president is elected by the people for a five-year term.
Voters will return later in the year to vote after the for their National Assembly representative and Parliament representative, who also hold five-year terms.
One top job that is not selected by the people is the prime minister, who is appointed by the new president.
