While various opinion polls show a tightening of leading positions, as well as a great deal of indecision among the electorate, the final sprint to Sunday's French presidential election will be crucial ahead of midnight on Friday, which marks the official end of campaigning.

Read: Even election augur can't predict how France will vote

An Opinionway poll published on Monday sees independent Emmanuel Macron and far-right nationalist Marine Le Pen making the second round of the presidential election, each with 22 percent of the vote.

A runoff against Macron on May 7, however, would see Le Pen lose, as she would only attract 36 percent of voters against Macron's 64.

Emmanuel Macron and Marine Le Pen

Independent Macron to convince voters 'on the ground'

Macron, candidate of "En Marche!" (Forward!), was scheduled on Monday to hold his largest rally to date in a room big enough to hold some 20,000 people.

The venue is located close to France's Economy Ministry, whose office Macron occupied for two years before leaving the Socialist government to launch his presidential campaign.

French election: The major players Emmanuel Macron Macron quit as economy minister in August and launched his independent presidential bid in November. The 39-year-old centrist formed his own political movement, En Marche (Forward), and is seen as a reformer. Despite having never held elected office, polls have predicted his win in the final round of voting in May. He's voiced admiration for German Chancellor Angela Merkel's refugee policy.

French election: The major players Marine Le Pen The National Front leader has adopted a more moderate tone than her anti-Semitic father, party founder Jean-Marie Le Pen. But she still takes a hard line on immigration, saying children of irregular migrants should not have access to public education. She also wants France to withdraw from the eurozone and have a referendum on EU membership. It's predicted she'll advance to the second round.

French election: The major players Francois Fillon A surprise winner of the right-wing Republicans primaries, the socially conservative Fillon is seen to represent the interests of France's Catholic middle class. An admirer of former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, he supports a liberal economic policy. Though Penelopegate and other scandals have marred Fillon's campaign, he has professed no wrongdoing and vowed to fight on.

French election: The major players Benoit Hamon In a runoff against former French PM Manuel Valls in the Socialist primary, Hamon was the more left-wing choice of the two politicians. The 49-year-old supports a universal basic income and wants to shorten the traditional work week. He has also spoken in support of increased investment in renewable energy. He faces an uphill battle as many socialist politicians have voiced support for Macron.

French election: The major players Jean-Luc Melenchon The Left Party's candidate landed fourth in the 2012 presidential elections. Melenchon, a current European Parliament member, believes the bloc's economic liberalism has stifled France. He hopes to profit from the center-left's disarray, but may split votes with socialist Hamon. Supported by the French Communist party, Melenchon advocates a shorter work week and climate protection. Author: Samantha Early



According to his entourage, Macron's speech on Monday afternoon was to be preceded by "short statements from people from the movement, new faces from civil society."

As the youngest candidate, the 39-year-old plans in the final week to convince voters "on the ground" and "in the workplace."

Unity not division

The movement has announced some 1,000 events every day over the working week, including 163 public meetings with elected representatives and at least four major national meetings.

"Emmanuel Macron wants to be one of the only candidates to not play on fears, antagonisms, or divisions, but rather on unity," one campaign worker said.

This "message of assembly" on Monday came as somewhat of a response to National Front (FN) leader Le Pen, who on Saturday delivered one of her harshest speeches, held in the southwestern city of Perpignan.

Targeting Macron, Le Pen said: "With Mr Macron, it will be Islamism on the march, communitarianism on the move!"

Several protest groups had vowed to disrupt Le Pen's speech on Monday evening. Already on Saturday, around 400 demonstrators gathered close to the 6,000-seat venue where she's expected to present her speech.

A large FN rally is also scheduled for Wednesday in the southeastern city of Marseille, where counter-demonstrations are also planned.

Pre-election scandal in FN camp

Faced with the recent surge of far-left Jean-Luc Mélenchon and the scandal-ridden campaign of conservative François Fillon, the FN frontwoman will be hoping to regain momentum over the final five days.

Read: What's behind far-left candidate Melenchon's surge in the French polls?

Asked by DW on Monday if Le Pen intended on proposing any policies at Monday's speech, an FN press contact who declined to be named said: "Why would she announce policies? She's not in power."

"This is a presidential election. The candidate decides that, not the party," the spokesperson added when asked whether the far-right populist party had decided on any proposed policies to announce on Monday.

Read: Le Pen may face EU Parliament grilling ahead of election

Le Pen's polling numbers have dipped in recent weeks amid a party funding scandal, but most polls still concur that she's among the three contenders to reach the second-round runoff on May 7.

As recently as Friday, French judges called on the European Parliament to strip Le Pen of her parliamentary immunity in order to enable prosecutors to investigate her alleged misuse of European Union funds to pay for party assistants.