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French election 2017 polls Emmanuel Macron is set to become the next French president, according to the latest opinion poll from PrésiTrack OpinionWay / Orpi for Les Echos and Radio Classique. The centrist candidate won 23.9 per cent of the first round of voting and looks set to win 60 per cent of the final round on Sunday May 7. Marine Le Pen came second in the initial vote with 21.4 per cent, and is predicted to score 40 per cent in the second round. Mr Macron will be propelled to power an estimated 8.25 million voters switching their allegiance from also-rans Jean-Luc Mélenchon, Benoit Hamon and Francois Fillon. Immediately after the first round of voting, Mr Fillon and Mr Hamon urged supporters to back Mr Macron in order to prevent a Le Pen presidency.

Mr Fillon, once the favourite to win the election,said in his concession speech: "The National Front has a history of violence and it would bankrupt France, especially by plunging us into EU chaos and taking us out of the Euro,” he said. "Extremism can only give rise to division within France and so I urge you to vote against extremism. "I will vote for Emmanuel Macron, it's my duty." Forty-three per cent of Fillon voters (3.1m) now plan to vote for Mr Macron, with 31 per cent (2.23m) supporting Ms Le Pen and 26 per cent (1.87m) abstaining. WHO IS EMMANUEL MACRON?

Countdown to the French election! Sat, May 6, 2017 Emmanuel Macron and Marine Le Pen continue to campaign as they head towards the election run-off on May 7th Play slideshow REUTERS 1 of 10 Marine Le Pen, French National Front (FN) party candidate for 2017 presidential election, is protected by bodyguards as eggs are thrown by demonstrators during her arrival in Dol-de-Bretagne

Mr Hamon echoed his words, calling the National Front “an enemy of France”. A massive 72 per cent (1.65m) of his supporters now say they will back Mr Macron, with just two per cent (45,000) switching to Ms Le Pen and 26 per cent (595,000) abstaining. Jean-Luc Mélenchon stopped short of endorsing Mr Macron, but has launched a poll of his supporters. The consultation was sent to 450,000 registered supporters, and says: None of us will vote for the far-right. But does it mean we need to give voting advice?” WHO IS MARINE LE PEN?

GETTY Marine Le Pen and Emmanuel Macron are tied in the polls to become the next French president

Half of Mélenchon voters polled by PrésiTrack plan to vote for Mr Macron, which translates to 3.5 million extra votes. Another 18 per cent (1.27m) are set to back Ms Le Pen and 32 per cent (2.2m) plan to abstain. When asked who they thought will be elected as president, 80 per cent said Mr Macron with just 16 per cent backing Ms Le Pen. When asked who they would like to see elected, 59 per cent said Mr Macron and 33 per cent said Ms Le Pen. Ms Le Pen has announced that she is temporarily stepping aside as the National Front leader in a last-ditch attempt to win voters on a non-partisan platform.

Reuters Marine Le Pen, French National Front (FN) political party leader casts her vote

GETTY Francois Fillon has conceded defeat and thrown his support behind Mr Macron

“This evening, I am no longer the president of the National Front. I am the candidate for the French presidency," she said. Mr Macron has vowed that he would be “a president of all the people of France”. In recent days his campaign has been overshadowed by fresh attention of his marriage to Brigitte Trogneaux – his former high-school teacher who is 24 years his senior. WHO IS EMMANUEL MACRON'S WIFE?

SAA Emmanuel Macron cast his vote in the French election this morning