Left-wing French presidental candidate Jean-Luc Mélenchon was joined by thousands of his supporters in a showing billed as the ‘‘march for the sixth republic.’‘

The huge turnout will act as a boost to the candidate as the left in French politics looks for a standard bearer.

Far-left presidential candidate Melenchon holds Paris rally: Far-left French presidential candidate Jean-Luc… https://t.co/qedDeqpPY2pic.twitter.com/sko5MBbV9m — Elgin Journal (@elginjournal) March 18, 2017

“Each time we threaten our social standards or our environmental standards, I swear, the answer will be no.”

France’s Constitutional Court has finalised the 11 candidates to stand in the first round of the presidential election.

According to current opinion polls Mélenchon is expected to finish fifth and has ignored calls to stand down in order for the left to present a unifying candidate to the French electorate.