Macron leads over Le Pen on final day of campaign

Pro-European Macron and far-right anti-immigration candidate Marine Le Pen have offered starkly different visions for France during a campaign that has been closely watched in Europe and the rest of the world. 

At the end of a battle that has only increased in intensity in the final days, both candidates made final campaign appearances and toured radio and TV stations. Macron was visiting the southwest city of Rodez while Le Pen headed for Reims in northern France as they sought to win over voters before Sunday’s run-off. 

Polls showed that 39-year-old former investment banker Macron has stretched his lead over Le Pen to 22 points after he was seen to have emerged the strongest from a bad-tempered TV debate on Wednesday. Macron said he had already chosen the name of his future prime minister — but even the person concerned had not been informed.