FRANCE: PREZ CANDIDATE MACRON GETS BACKING OF VETERAN CENTRIST LEADER

PARIS : French presidential candidate Emmanuel Macron received a boost on Wednesday after veteran centrist Francois Bayrou backed him and offered a pact to prevent “the failure of France”. Bayrou, who had hinted at his own presidential run, announced he would not mount a rival bid to avoid splitting the votes of moderates to the benefit of far-right candidate Marine Le Pen. Bayrou described Macron, a 39-year-old former investment banker, as “brilliant” and said he hoped that together they could propel the centrists to victory.