Marine Le Pen’s campaign team is attempting to shake off ridicule over her alleged plagiarism of a speech by Francois Fillon, just days before the presidential election.

The far-right leader repeatedly attacked the conservative candidate before he was knocked out in the French race last month but has now appeared to repeat large sections of one of his speeches.

Addressing a key rally near Paris five days before facing Emmanuel Macron in the decisive vote, Ms Le Pen spoke of France's cultural roots, history and influence in western Europe.

The Front National politician referred to “waiting lists for the Alliance Française [language school] in Shanghai, Tokyo, or Mexico, for the French secondary school in Rabat or Rome”.

The passage - one of three highlighted by French media - was identical to one in a speech made by Mr Fillon in Puy-en-Velay on 15 April.

Ms Le Pen mentioned France's “three maritime borders” with the English Channel, North Sea and the Atlantic, as did Mr Fillon.

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

She also repeated his description of borders and ties with “Italy, our sister”, continuing: “Then there is the Rhine frontier, the most open, also the most promising - a Germanic world we will yet co-operate with in so many ways, as long as we regain the relationship of allies and not of subjects.”

Mr Fillon had said: “Then there is the Rhine frontier, the most open, the most dangerous, also the most promising - a Germanic world we have been so often in conflict with and with which we will yet co-operate in so many ways.”

Ms Le Pen also evoked the same quote from early 20th century French Prime Minister Georges Clemenceau: “Once a soldier of God, and now a soldier of Liberty, France will always be the soldier of the ideal.”

Footage of the two speeches was posted online by Ridicule TV, a YouTube channel initially set up by Mr Fillon's supporters, before he was eliminated from the French presidential election, having been damaged by a scandal over “fake jobs” awarded to his wife and children.

Florian Philippot, deputy leader of the Front National, said the party “completely owned up” to the similarities with Mr Fillon’s speech amid widespread mockery on social media.

He told Radio Classique that Ms Le Pen's speech was a “nod-and-a-wink” to her former rival’s discourse in order to “launch a real debate” concerning French identity.

Her campaign manager, David Rachline, also played down plagiarism accusations, painting her speech as a form of tribute to Mr Fillon that “was appreciated, including by all of Mr Fillon's supporters”.

The pair shared a number of policy pledges in the run-up to the first round of voting last month, both taking a tough line on immigration, security and Islamist extremism.

Ms Le Pen came second on 23 May and polls predict her to be beaten by the Mr Macron on Saturday, with the centrist candidate expected to win around 60 per cent of the vote.