The Latest Breaking News from Prisca Thevenot

More than 50 politicians and activists in France have been assaulted in the run-up to Sunday's final round of snap parliamentary elections, the Interior Minister Gérard Darmanin has said.

The French far right and its struggling rivals make a final push for votes on Friday ahead of the decisive round of parliamentary elections that were called in a major gamble by centrist President Emmanuel Macron.

With just three day remaining until the second round of France’s legislative elections, the campaign has been marred by reported assaults and verbal abuse of candidates, prompting at least one of them to drop out of the crucial race. Read our liveblog to see how the day's events unfolded.

Gabriel Attal said candidate Prisca Thevenot and members of her campaign team were attacked by four individuals

French leader to leave for archipelago on Tuesday night with intention of restoring ‘calm and order’

French President Emmanuel Macron is making a surprise trip to New Caledonia, the French Pacific territory that has been gripped by days of deadly violence following protests from the indigenous Kanak population who have long sought independence from Paris.

France's government was on the defensive on Friday after environmental campaigners and opposition politicians accused it of having scrapped a key green policy to appease protesting farmers.