Turnout figures for the first round of the French presidential election showed a 28.54 percentage participation rate by midday local time, the Interior Ministry said on Sunday. 
The 28.54 percent compared to 28.29 percent in 2012 at the same hour, and compared to midday turnout rates of 31.21 percent in 2007 and 21.40 percent in 2002. 
French voters headed to the polls Sunday under heavy security for the first round of a closely contested presidential election. 
About 47 million voters are expected to cast their ballots in around 67,000 polling stations and monitored by more than 50,000 police officers and 7,000 soldiers in the wake of the policeman's killing on Thursday. 

Source: QNA