This article examines the impact of crises resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine on the vote for Emmanuel Macron in the first round of the 2022 French presidential elections. To that end, it empirically tests out two theories that purport to explain the electoral repercussions of international crises: retrospective voting and the rally ‘round the flag effect. Using panel survey data, this article shows the relevance of both mechanisms regarding the French electoral context in 2022. Although the COVID‑19 pandemic erupted more than two years prior to the presidential election, assessments of the public health and economic policies adopted to handle this crisis were decisive for the incumbent president’s success. In addition, albeit to a lesser extent, Macron also benefited from a rally ‘round the flag effect linked to the war in Ukraine.