French Presidential Election race tightens

FRANCE: French President Emmanuel Macron called on tens of thousands of cheering but increasingly nervous supporters to help him win a second term as he held his first election campaign rally on Saturday just a week from the start of voting.

According to polls, far-right rival Marine Le Pen is gathering momentum and threatening what once seemed an almost unassailable position of strength for Macron, a pro-business centrist elected in 2017.

Two new polls published Saturday suggested Macron and Le Pen would finish top in the first round of voting on April 10, with Macron triumphing in the run-off on April 24 by 53-47 percent.

“The mobilisation is now, the battle is now!” was how Macron concluded a two-and-a-half hour speech at a stadium west of the capital. “I don’t want either arrogance or defeatism, I want a general mobilisation.” – NDTV