GETTY President Hollande has called for Marine Le Pen to be defeated

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The outgoing Socialist president’s comments suggest he is giving his full backing to centrist Emmanuel Macron ahead of voting on May 7. French Presidential spokesman Stephane Le Foll addressed the Council of Ministries on Wednesday, saying: “Hollande has asked ministers to fully commit themselves in the election campaign to ensure that Marine Le Pen has the lowest possible result.” In his address, Mr Le Foll added that each minister must be "totally mobilised in this campaign," reminding them that Marine Le Pen’s father, Jean-Marie Le Pen, had been defeated in the second round of the 2002 elections.

Mr Hollande and his government are not the only politicians backing Mr Macron. Defeated candidates Francois Fillon of the Republicans and Benoit Hamon of the Socialist party have also urged their supporters to vote for the former economics minister and investment banker. Mr Macron won the first round of the elections, which were held last Sunday, with 24.01 per cent of the vote, followed by Ms Le Pen with 21.3 per cent. The right-wing politician has accused the French media among others of essentially handing Mr Macron the presidency on a platter.

Speaking to France 2, she said: “Macron goes into the second round on a carpet of rose petals with almost total support from the French mainstream media, elites, trade union organisations, entrepreneurs. “But it’s OK, I prefer to be supported by the French people.” The second round of the French presidential election looks set to be hit by further protests, if recent days are anything to go by. Moments after the polls closed in the first round, protests broke out in the Place de la Bastille in central Paris, with smoke grenades, flares and glass bottles thrown at police, who responded by firing tear gas at gathered crowds.

Countdown to the French election! Sat, May 6, 2017 Emmanuel Macron and Marine Le Pen continue to campaign as they head towards the election run-off on May 7th Play slideshow REUTERS 1 of 10 Marine Le Pen, French National Front (FN) party candidate for 2017 presidential election, is protected by bodyguards as eggs are thrown by demonstrators during her arrival in Dol-de-Bretagne