Paris • Early voting began overseas Saturday in France's most nail-biting election in generations, and the 11 candidates seeking to become the country's next president silenced their campaigns as required to give voters a period of reflection.
Opinion polls showed a tight race among the four top contenders vying to get into the May 7 presidential runoff that will decide who becomes France's next head of state. But the polls also showed that decision was largely in the hands of the one-in-three French voters who are still undecided.
Polls opened in France's far-flung overseas territories but won't start until Sunday on the French mainland. France's 10 percent unemployment, its lackluster economy and security issues top voters' concerns.
Political campaigning was banned from midnight Friday until the polls close at 8 p.m. Sunday.
Polls suggested that far-right nationalist Marine Le Pen and Emmanuel Macron, an independent centrist and former minister of the economy, were in the lead.
But conservative Francois Fillon, a former prime minister whose campaign was initially derailed by corruption allegations that his wife was paid for no-show work as his aide, appeared to be closing the gap, as was far-leftist candidate Jean-Luc Melenchon.
Security was tight. The government has mobilized more than 50,000 police and gendarmes to protect 70,000 polling stations; an additional 7,000 soldiers are on patrol.
Security is a prominent issue after a wave of extremist attacks in France, including a gunman who killed a Paris police officer Thursday night before being shot dead by security forces. The gunman carried a note praising the Islamic State.
Voters made their choices in the Atlantic Ocean territories of Saint Pierre and Miquelon as well as in French Guiana in South America, the Caribbean's Guadeloupe and elsewhere. Voters abroad could also cast ballots in French embassies Saturday.
The mad-dash campaigning of the last few weeks came to an abrupt halt after the Champs-Elysees gun attack by Karim Cheurfi, 39.
Le Pen and Fillon canceled their last campaign events Friday over security concerns. Macron did, too, but also accused his rivals of trying to capitalize on the attack with their anti-immigration, tough-on-security messages.
Well-wishers paid their respects Saturday at the site of the shooting, which was adorned with flowers, candles and messages of solidarity for the slain police officer, Xavier Jugele. Across from the Eiffel Tower, women from the group Angry Wives of Law Enforcement demonstrated against violence aimed at police.
Some believed French stoicism would prevent a lurch to the right in the presidential vote, even though the attack dominated French headlines.
"These 48 hours are not going to change everything ... terrorism is now an everyday occurrence. It's permanent, 24 hours a day. So we're not afraid. If we're believers in freedom, we must live with it," said Marise Moron, a retired doctor.
"I'm not going to let myself be influenced by people who are trying to frighten us," Paris resident Anne-Marie Redouin said near the heavily-guarded Eiffel Tower.
Others, fearful that Le Pen has been strengthened by the instability, said they would shift their votes from fringe candidates to make sure to keep the far-right out of power.
"With an attack such as this one, I think the National Front will get a good result. Therefore I'll change my intention and cast a useful vote — either Melenchon or Macron," said physics teacher Omar Ilys, 44.
The election is also widely being viewed as a ballot on the future of the 28-nation European Union. The far-right Le Pen and the far-left Melenchon could pull France out of the bloc and its shared euro currency — a so-called "Frexit."
A worker prepares booths at a polling station in Lyon, central France, Saturday, April 22, 2017. The two-round presidential election will take place on April 23 and May 7. (AP Photo/Laurent Cipriani)
Workers prepare booths at a polling station in Lyon, central France, Saturday, April 22, 2017. The two-round presidential election will take place on April 23 and May 7. (AP Photo/Laurent Cipriani)
Workers prepare voting booths at a polling station in Lyon, central France, Saturday, April 22, 2017. The two-round presidential election will take place on April 23 and May 7. (AP Photo/Laurent Cipriani)
A French riot police officer patrols with the Eiffel Tower in the background as family members of police officers demonstrate in what they described as a march of support for all French security forces, in Paris, Saturday, April 22, 2017. The Saturday march comes just two days after the Champs Elysees attack in which a police officer was shot with two bullets to the head and two others were wounded before being able to kill the shooter. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)
A French riot police officer patrols in Paris, Saturday, April 22, 2017, as family members of police officers demonstrate in what they described as a march of support for all French security forces. The Saturday march comes just two days after the Champs Elysees attack in which a police officer was shot with two bullets to the head and two others were wounded before being able to kill the shooter. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)
Family members of police officers demonstrate in what they described as a march of support for all French security forces, in Paris, Saturday, April 22, 2017. The Saturday march comes just two days after the Champs Elysees attack in which a police officer was shot with two bullets to the head and two others were wounded before being able to kill the shooter. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)
Pauline Pas, a relative of a police officer, has a French flag painted on her arm, before taking part in a demonstration in what was described as a march of support for all French security forces, in Paris, Saturday, April 22, 2017. The Saturday march comes just two days after the Champs Elysees attack in which a police officer was shot with two bullets to the head and two others were wounded before being able to kill the shooter. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)
French riot police officers patrol as family members of police officers attend a march in what they described as a protest of support for all French security forces, in Paris, Saturday, April 22, 2017. The Saturday march comes just two days after the Champs Elysees attack in which a police officer was shot with two bullets to the head and two others were wounded before being able to kill the shooter. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)
A woman kisses a police officer after giving him flowers, during a demonstration in what was described as a march of support for all French security forces, in Paris, Saturday, April 22, 2017. The Saturday march comes just two days after the Champs Elysees attack in which a police officer was shot with two bullets to the head and two others were wounded before being able to kill the shooter. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)
A woman holds a rose and a French flag during a demonstration in what was described as a march of support for all French security forces, in Paris, Saturday, April 22, 2017. The Saturday march comes just two days after the Champs Elysees attack in which a police officer was shot with two bullets to the head and two others were wounded before being able to kill the shooter. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)
A French riot police officer carries flowers given to him by a protestor who demonstrated with others in what was described as a march of support for all French security forces, in Paris, Saturday, April 22, 2017. The Saturday march comes just two days after the Champs Elysees attack in which a police officer was shot with two bullets to the head and two others were wounded before being able to kill the shooter. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)
A woman holds flowers during a demonstration in what was described as a march of support for all French security forces, in Paris, Saturday, April 22, 2017. The Saturday march comes just two days after the Champs Elysees attack in which a police officer was shot with two bullets to the head and two others were wounded before being able to kill the shooter. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)
French police officers patrol with the Eiffel Tower in background, in Paris, Saturday, April 22, 2017. The outcome of France's presidential election is being closely watched for signs that Europe is moving toward nationalist candidates who advocate the European Union's dissolution. The top two candidates from Sunday's vote in Paris will progress to a winner-takes-all May 7 runoff. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)
A French police officer patrols with the Eiffel Tower in background, in Paris, Saturday, April 22, 2017. The outcome of France's presidential election is being closely watched for signs that Europe is moving toward nationalist candidates who advocate the European Union's dissolution. The top two candidates from Sunday's vote in Paris will progress to a winner-takes-all May 7 runoff. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)
A French riot police officer patrols as demonstrators take part at a protest in what they described as a march of support for all French security forces, in Paris, Saturday, April 22, 2017. The Saturday march comes just two days after the Champs Elysees attack in which a police officer was shot with two bullets to the head and two others were wounded before being able to kill the shooter. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)