Emmanuel Macron will face far-right rival Marine Le Pen in the second and final stage of the French presidential election on April 24 after they beat the other candidates in the first round of voting on Sunday, according to estimates.
With some 85 per cent of the votes counted, polling agency estimates based on results so far showed Macron winning about 28 per cent and Le Pen 23 per cent of the first-round votes, ahead of the far-left candidate Jean-Luc Mélenchon with around 21-22 per cent.
The result of Sunday’s vote suggests that the 53-year-old Le Pen is closer than ever to winning power for the far right in France and emulating the nationalist victories of Donald Trump in the US and supporters of Brexit in the UK six years ago.