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The Independent UK
The Independent UK
National
Tom Batchelor and Rory Sullivan

French election 2022 - live: Macron hits campaign trail as Le Pen touts ‘unity’ coalition

AFP via Getty Images
Emmanuel Macron and Marine Le Pen to face each other in French presidential run-off

Emmanuel Macron has warned his supporters that "nothing has been decided yet" as the French president faces a runoff battle with far-right opponent Marine Le Pen.

The pair finished in first and second place in Sunday's first-round vote, and Mr Macron travelled to a poorer area of northern France on Monday which gave its backing to Ms Le Pen and her National Rally party, ahead of two weeks of campaigning.

Opinion polls show Mr Macron is ahead but Ms Le Pen, whose team met on Monday to discuss their strategy for the 24 April second round vote, is not far behind. On Monday she again touted her proposal for a “unity government”.

Mr Macron said he wants to convince those who voted for "extremes" that "our project responds much more seriously to their fears and to the challenges of the time”.

Ms Le Pen’s campaign wants to focus on the rise of food and energy prices and anger at Mr Macron over policies seen as benefitting the rich.

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