French election: Emmanuel Macron, Marine Le Pen through to runoff

Emmanuel Macron and Marine Le Pen are set to face each other in a May 7 runoff for the French presidency.

Centrist Emmanuel Macron and far-right leader Marine Le Pen are set to face each other in a May 7 runoff for the French presidency after coming first and second in the first round of voting overnight.

Key points:

• Macron won about 24 per cent of vote with Le Pen slightly behind at 22 per cent
• Other top candidates Francois Fillon and Jean-Luc Melenchon were eliminated
• Le Pen lauds ‘historic result’ as Macron vows to fight nationalism

In a race that was too close to call up to the last minute, Mr Macron, a pro-European Union ex-banker and economy minister who founded his own party only a year ago, won the first round with roughly 24 per cent of the vote.

Ms Le Pen, leader of the anti-immigration and anti-EU National Front, came in second with 22 per cent.

“In one year, we have changed the face of French politics,” Mr Macron said in a victory speech after the vote.

Source: French election: Emmanuel Macron, Marine Le Pen through to runoff – ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)