#sansmoile7mai: The apathetic hashtag in France urging young people not to vote

French Twitter woke up angry on Monday morning after discovering that Emmanuel Macron and Marine Le Pen won the most votes in the first round of the country's presidential elections. Macron's En Marche! led the vote with 23.7% and National Front leader Marine Le Pen was just behind with 21.7%. But despite celebrations from their respective supporters, many voters see both runners as grim alternatives.

The second round of the elections is set for May 7 and will decide which of the two candidates will become France's president, but many French citizens have already taken to their keyboards to tweet that they will not be voting during the second round.

The hashtag #sansmoile7mai ("don't count on me for May 7th) appeared on Twitter soon after the result, and highlights the divisive nature of a Macron vs Le Pen outcome. It's a nationwide call to either vote blank during the second round, or not to vote at all.

Many are disappointed Jean Luc Melenchon's supporters, others see it as a choice ''between hating strangers or hating the poor''. Here's a selection of the tweets.

Some clearly saw it as a move that would advantage the Front National Candidate:

"When Marine le Pen sees #sansmoile7mai"

Many just can't bring themselves to choose between two evils.

"I don't want to be ruled by the CAC 40, Nor France to be like in 1940"

"For the second round it's either extreme-finance or extreme right"

"This morning we're asked to choose between hating strangers or hating the poor. Great, everything's going fine."

Some had a word or two for some who have highlighted that a blank vote might increase Marine le Pen's chances:

"F*** those who say "no vote for Macron is a vote for Le Pen"! Not voting for Macron means not voting for Macron."

What is certain is that even without those who refuse to vote, France will have a new head of state on the evening of 7 May.