France had a secret plan to 'Protect the Republic' amid fears of 'extreme violence' if far-Right candidate Marine Le Pen had won the presidential election, it has been reported.

News of the plan emerged as Ms Le Pen conceded that a crucial TV debate against Emmanuel Macron, the centrist who would go on to beat her in the presidential run-off, had been a 'failure', but that she would be running for a seat in parliament next month.

Dubbed 'Protect the Republic', the emergency plan was devised by a small group of ministers, chiefs of staff and top civil servants and would have been launched had Ms Le Pen reached the Elysée palace, according to L'Obs magazine, citing three anonymous sources.