MADAME FREXIT V LE BLAIR

Hard right and centre left go head-to-head for President

SUPPORTERS of far-right leader Marine Le Pen were celebrating last night as she was on course to storm into the French presidential election final vote. The first round exit poll gave the National Front leader a 21.7% share behind the centreleft candidate Emmanual Macron on 23.7%. It means Le Pen, who wants to leave the European Union, looks set for the final showdown on May 7 against Macron – the pro-europe 39-year-old seen as France’s Tony Blair. Le Pen told supporters she was “honoured” to reach the run-off in the closest election since the Second World War. She added: “This result is historic. It puts on me a huge responsibility to defend the French nation, its unity, its security, its culture, its prosperity and its independence.”

HISTORIC

Yesterday was the first time in French history that the incumbent president – Socialist Francois Hollande – did not run due to poor ratings. And with no established parties making it through, the French political landscape has now changed for ever. A win for Le Pen, 48, would bring the possibility of a “Frexit” vote and an anti-immigrant lurch to the right. While victory for En Marche! chief Macron – still the bookies’ favourite – could lead to a revival of centrism across Europe, which has fallen into electoral failure in the past 10 years. There was a bigger than expected turnout with about 80% of the population voting. In London, thousands of expats queued to cast their vote in Kensington, some waiting two hours. Voter Julien Brunel, 33, said: “I still haven’t made up my mind, thankfully I have a long time as there is a very long queue.” The election was held with France on high security alert after a policeman was shot dead by a jihadi in Paris three days earlier. More than 50,000 officers were on duty.

LE PEN 21.7% Right-winger Le Pen celebrating her election triumph last night

MACRON 23.7% Centrist candidate is bookies’ favourite

LONDRES Long queue in Kensington