Emmanuel Macron, the frontrunner in Sunday’s French presidential election, has said he would consider pulling France out of the European Union if the bloc does not reform.

In a marked shift in comments that brings him closer to his rival Marine Le Pen on the issue of European integration, Mr Macron warned of the prospect of “Frexit”.

"I'm a pro-European, I defended constantly during this election the European idea and European policies because I believe it's extremely important for French people and for the place of our country in globalisation,” he said.

"But at the same time we have to face the situation, to listen to our people, and to listen to the fact that they are extremely angry today, impatient and the dysfunction of the EU is no more sustainable.

"So I do consider that my mandate, the day after, will be at the same time to reform in depth the European Union and our European project."

His comments, in an interview with the BBC, came as Ms Le Pen accused her centrist rival of being “a radical EU extremist” during a rally in Paris.

With less than a week to go before voters go back to the polls for the final round of France’s presidential election on 7 May, the far-right candidate was on the offensive.

French Presidential Election Show all 20 1 /20 French Presidential Election French Presidential Election Voters line up to cast their ballots REUTERS French Presidential Election French expats queue along the street outside the Lycee Francais Charles de Gaulle to cast their vote in a polling station inside the school, in the first round of the 2017 French presidential election, in London, Britain April 23, 2017. REUTERS/Luke MacGregor - RTS13JM5 REUTERS French Presidential Election People line up to vote in the first round of 2017 French presidential election at a polling station in Vaulx-en-Velin near Lyon, France, April 23, 2017. REUTERS/Emmanuel Foudrot - RTS13HSP REUTERS French Presidential Election Police patrol polling stations in France REUTERS French Presidential Election Francois Fillon (L), member of the Republicans political party and 2017 French presidential election candidate of the French centre-right, casts his vote in the first round of 2017 French presidential election in Paris, France, April 23, 2017. REUTERS/Christophe Archambault/Pool - RTS13IH0 REUTERS French Presidential Election Benoit Hamon (C), French Socialist party 2017 presidential candidate, is surrounded by photographers as he leaves a polling station after voting in the first round of 2017 French presidential election in Trappes, near Paris, France, April 23, 2017. REUTERS/Vincent Kessler - RTS13I0Y REUTERS French Presidential Election French President Francois Hollande collects voting slips before casting his ballot in the first round of the 2017 French presidential election at a polling station in Tulle, France, on April 23, 2017. REUTERS/Georges Gobet/Pool - RTS13ITO REUTERS French Presidential Election A policeman walks by election posters near a polling station during the first round of 2017 French presidential election in Paris, France, April 23, 2017. REUTERS/Christian Hartmann - RTS13I3A REUTERS French Presidential Election Emmanuel Macron and wife Brigitte Trogneux REUTERS French Presidential Election Emmanuel Macron casts his ballot REUTERS French Presidential Election Emmanuel Macron, head of the political movement En Marche !, or Onwards !, and candidate for the 2017 French presidential election, waves hand during in the first round of 2017 French presidential election at a polling station in Le Touquet, northern France, April 23, 2017. REUTERS/Benoit Tessier - RTS13ICH SAA/ French Presidential Election Jean-Luc Melenchon, candidate of the French far-left Parti de Gauche and candidate for the French 2017 presidential election, leaves a polling booth in the first round of 2017 French presidential election at a polling station in Paris, France, April 23, 2017. REUTERS/Stephane Mahe - RTS13IKB REUTERS French Presidential Election Front National leader Marine Le Pen casts her ballot Marine Le Pen (L), French National Front (FN) political party leader and candidate for French 2017 presidential election, casts her ballot in the first round of 2017 French presidential election at a polling station in Henin-Beaumont, northern France, April 23, 2017. At R, Mayor of Henin-Beaumont Steeve Briois. REUTERS/Charles Platiau - RTS13IEI REUTERS French Presidential Election Early ballots are read as results continue to come in Reuters French Presidential Election Macron supporters react as results come in early in the evening AP French Presidential Election Supporters of Front National leader Marine Le Pen cheer as early results come in Reuters French Presidential Election Alamy Live News. J21KYW Paris, France. 23rd April 2017. Marcon supporters wave French and EU flags after the announcement that he is the leader in the exit polls after the polling stations have been closed. Supporters of Emmanuel Macron, the Presidential candidate from the social liberal political party En Marche! celebrate the exit polls, that see him in first place, ahead of Marine Le Pen from the Front National in the first round of the French Presidential election. Credit: Michael Debets/Alamy Live News This is an Alamy Live News image and may not be part of your current Alamy deal . If you are unsure, please contact our sales team to check. Alamy French Presidential Election Front National leader Marine Le Pen takes to the stage to address her supporters as fans cheer Reuters French Presidential Election Emmanuel Macron greets supporters on Sunday night AP French Presidential Election Emmanuel Macron and wife Brigitte Trogneux celebrate the incoming results EPA

Speaking at a rally in Villepinte, in the north of the capital, Ms Le Pen put sovereignty and security at the forefront of her project.

She attacked Mr Macron’s pro-EU stance while repeating her promise of a referendum, and said she would renegotiate with Brussels to regain France’s sovereignty.

The two candidates have opposing policies on the EU, with Mr Macron being congratulated by Brussels for his first-round victory.

But Mr Macron’s latest remarks suggest he is toughening his stance on Europe in a bid to win over voters attracted to Ms Le Pen’s brand of Euroscepticism.

Mr Macron has made the reassertion of the European project a key part of his programme but following his recent visit to the Whirlpool factory in Amiens, northern France, where workers face unemployment as the factory is due to relocate to Poland, the founder of En Marche adopted a more nuanced view.

He warned failure to reform the union would make France leave the EU and would play into the hands of Ms Le Pen.

Thousands of people cheered loudly and waved French flags at Monday’s rally as Ms Le Pen pledged to give back “sovereignty and greatness” to the French people.

She accused Mr Macron of being the candidate of the financial sector, who will “make France submit to the will of German Chancellor Angela Merkel”.

Ms Le Pen has capitalised on a growing anti-EU feeling in France and she hailed the US and Brexit UK as bastions of “liberty”.

Under her slogan “In the name of the people”, Ms Le Pen has long said traditional parties only served their own interests and was keen to depict Mr Macron as more of the same.

“Mr Macron’s way is En Marche [walk on] or die,” she said, referring to the centrist’s slogan.

Making a double offensive against current French President Francois Hollande, Ms Le Pen said Mr Macron was the rock on which the current president was “trying to hold onto power like a mollusc”.

Reacting to Mr Macron’s efforts to portray himself and his wife Brigitte as a presidential couple, Ms Le Pen said he had spent more time thinking about his public image than the nation’s security, a key issue in the campaign.

“Mr Macron has taken more time to think about the status of his First Lady than his programme to tackle terrorism,” she said.

“I will fight against terrorism and in doing so my hand will never shake.”

Emmanuel Macron pays tribute to wife Brigitte during speech after entering round two

Mr Macron responded by saying Ms Le Pen’s platform would lead to less freedom in France.

"Don't boo her, fight her! Go and convince (others), make her lose next Sunday,” he said, adding that her priorities would be "to fight against press freedom, against women's rights, the right to abortion" and "against same-sex couples' rights”.

Elsewhere, Ms Le Pen’s father, Jean-Marie Le Pen, the founder of the Front National party, was at his own rally in Paris to commemorate Joan of Arc.

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The 88-year-old had some difficulty delivering his speech, losing his notes and being interrupted by sound problems.

Speaking about his daughter reaching the second round of the election, he said: “I have done it myself, so it is possible.”

Mr Le Pen got through the second round of the French presidential election in 2002 against conservative Jacques Chirac.