Filipinos began voting on Monday May 9 to appoint their next president, a high-stakes ballot for which Ferdinand Marcos Junior, son of the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos, is promised by the polls a landslide victory.

About 67 million Filipinos are called to vote between 6 a.m. and 7 p.m. the 81 provincial governors and other local elected officials.

Analysts predict a strong turnout.

Ten candidates are in the running to succeed President Rodrigo Duterte, in a one-round ballot where the relative majority is enough to be elected.

And Ferdinand Marcos Jr, well ahead in the polls, seems on track to complete the return to power of the fallen dynasty nearly 40 years after his exile.

Worry

After six years of Duterte's authoritarian rule, human rights activists, Catholic Church leaders and political analysts fear that Marcos Jr will be emboldened by a landslide victory and lead the country with an even heavier grip.

A vast campaign of disinformation to rehabilitate the dictatorial regime, the clientelist system and the disenchantment of voters with recent governments have fueled the return to favor of the Marcos.

Polls predict a victory for the 64-year-old candidate, nicknamed "BongBong", with well over half of the vote.

To win this ballot in a single round, it would be enough for him to be the one who obtains the most votes.

Supporters of her main rival, current vice-president Leni Robredo, are hoping for a last-minute surprise.

Some analysts believe that his score could benefit from a possible disaffection from the polls on the part of supporters of Marcos Jr, too confident in the victory of their candidate.

Corruption and family dynasties

Since Leni Robredo announced his candidacy for the supreme office in October, groups of volunteers have multiplied in the vast archipelago to convince voters.

The 57-year-old lawyer and economist narrowly defeated Marcos Jr in the 2016 vice-presidential race (in the Philippines, the president and vice-president are elected separately).

She promised to rid Philippine democracy of corruption, in an archipelago where a handful of families control the country.

Marcos Jr and his ally presidential candidate Sara Duterte, daughter of the incumbent president, say they are best qualified to "unify" the country.

If the poll predictions are confirmed, Marcos Jr would become the first presidential candidate to be elected with an absolute majority since the overthrow of his father.

Risk to democracy

According to political analyst Richard Heydarian, such a victory could allow him to revise the Constitution to consolidate his power and weaken democracy.

"Duterte never had the discipline and the wherewithal to follow through on his authoritarian agenda," he said.

"This historic opportunity could fall to the Marcos."

Other candidates for president include boxing legend Manny Pacquiao and former garbage collector turned actor Francisco Domagoso.

But only Marcos Jr and Robredo are considered to have a chance of winning.

Personality, rather than politics, usually influences the choice of candidate, and vote buying and intimidation are also recurring issues in Philippine elections.

Regardless of the outcome of the ballot, opponents of Marcos Jr have already vowed to continue efforts to have him disqualified due to a previous tax offense conviction, and to make him pay the billions of dollars owed in inheritance tax. .

With AFP

The summary of the

France 24 week invites you to come back to the news that marked the week

I subscribe

Take international news everywhere with you!

Download the France 24 app

google-play-badge_EN