On Sunday France will vote for the leader that'll take its helm for the next five years. As we all know, the top two candidates are still the far-right Marine Le Pen and the centrist incumbent President Emmanuel Macron.

If opinion polls are to be believed Macron continues to hold a solid 10 point lead over his top contender, a lead that is far lacking as compared to the 2017 elections that saw the same two candidates competing, with the incumbent carrying the day with 66 per cent to 34 per cent.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/french-presidential-elections-2022-runoff-voting-how-does-the-polling-system-work-472305" hreflang="en">French presidential elections 2022 |&nbsp;Runoff voting: How does the polling system work?</a>

Voting has already started, for three million voters in French overseas territories and for the citizens in mainland France it will begin at 0600 GMT, closing 12 hours later.

It is a highly anticipated election, that will go on to showcase if Marine Le Pen has been successful in softening her image. As per an AFP report, while Macron still remains a favourite, if Le Pen were to secure a win, shockwaves will be felt across Europe. Left-leaning EU leaders like the German Chancellor Olaf Scholz have already pleaded with French citizens to choose Macron over Le Pen.

Watch |&nbsp;French Presidential election 2022: Who will be the next French President?

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/french-presidential-election-2022-who-will-be-the-next-french-president-473289/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Right up till the end the contenders continued to take jibes at each other, with Macron reminding people of his competition's racism, a charge she denies and Le Pen taking aim at her rival's plan to push back the retirement age to 65 from 62.

Even as the far-right candidate denies allegations of racism, people remain worried.&nbsp;

Speaking to Reuters, Ghislaine Madalie, a hairdresser in Auxerre, in central France, said she would vote for Emmanuel Macron. She spoke of her many clients' plans to vote for Le Pen because of their dislike of Macron, something she says is nothing short of disastrous.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/french-presidential-election-macrons-lead-over-le-pen-widens-in-polls-472246" hreflang="en">French presidential election: Macron's lead over Le Pen widens in polls</a>

"I find that disastrous because she is racist," Madalie, 36, whose family has roots in Morocco said of Le Pen. "I am anxious, for me and for my children."

The stakes are massive: if Le Pen is elected, she will be the first far-right leader in contemporary French history, as well as the first female president. Macron could become the first French president in two decades to be re-elected.

(With inputs from agencies)

On Sunday France will vote for the leader that'll take its helm for the next five years. As we all know, the top two candidates are still the far-right Marine Le Pen and the centrist incumbent President Emmanuel Macron.

On Sunday France will vote for the leader that'll take its helm for the next five years. As we all know, the top two candidates are still the far-right Marine Le Pen and the centrist incumbent President Emmanuel Macron. If opinion polls are to be believed Macron continues to hold a solid 10 point lead over his top contender, a lead that is far lacking as compared to the 2017 elections that saw the same two candidates competing, with the incumbent carrying the day with 66 per cent to 34 per cent. Also read | French presidential elections 2022 | Runoff voting: How does the polling system work? Voting has already started, for three million voters in French overseas territories and for the citizens in mainland France it will begin at 0600 GMT, closing 12 hours later. It is a highly anticipated election, that will go on to showcase if Marine Le Pen has been successful in softening her image. As per an AFP report, while Macron still remains a favourite, if Le Pen were to secure a win, shockwaves will be felt across Europe. Left-leaning EU leaders like the German Chancellor Olaf Scholz have already pleaded with French citizens to choose Macron over Le Pen. Watch | French Presidential election 2022: Who will be the next French President? Right up till the end the contenders continued to take jibes at each other, with Macron reminding people of his competition's racism, a charge she denies and Le Pen taking aim at her rival's plan to push back the retirement age to 65 from 62. Even as the far-right candidate denies allegations of racism, people remain worried. Speaking to Reuters, Ghislaine Madalie, a hairdresser in Auxerre, in central France, said she would vote for Emmanuel Macron. She spoke of her many clients' plans to vote for Le Pen because of their dislike of Macron, something she says is nothing short of disastrous. Also read | French presidential election: Macron's lead over Le Pen widens in polls "I find that disastrous because she is racist," Madalie, 36, whose family has roots in Morocco said of Le Pen. "I am anxious, for me and for my children." The stakes are massive: if Le Pen is elected, she will be the first far-right leader in contemporary French history, as well as the first female president. Macron could become the first French president in two decades to be re-elected. (With inputs from agencies)

Le Pen vs Macron: France is gearing up for the last fight, with voting taking place today

French presidential run-off election: What you should know

As the campaigning in France enters its final days, far-right presidential candidate Marine Le Pen seems to be trying to soften her image.

In a recent development, an ally of Le Pen has announced that the planned hijab ban that the presidential candidate had promised as one of the political tools to fight “Islamism” would come “little by little”.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/neither-macron-nor-le-pen-france-erupts-in-protests-against-top-presidential-candidates-ahead-of-elections-471600">Neither Macron, nor Le Pen: France erupts in protests against top presidential candidates ahead of elections</a>

This marks a shift in her campaign tone, less than a week before the voting takes place.

Le Pen has previously stated that the hijab is not a symbol of a person's religious beliefs, but rather an "Islamist uniform" that should be prohibited from public spaces in France.

However, the prohibition of the hijab, according to French lawyers, would be a violation of the French constitution.

In a country that has suffered a succession of fatal extremist attacks, issues related to France's Muslim population, which is one of Europe's largest, have become a contentious issue.

Louis Aliot, former partner of Le Pen, and the mayor of Perpignan told France Inter radio that the hijab ban needed to be implemented gradually.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Watch |&nbsp;Gravitas: France Elections: Marine Le Pen accused of embezzlement

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In his opinion, the ban should begin with state-run services and then be gradually expanded.

Echoing Le Pen's words, he said&nbsp;"there will be a debate in parliament and then the choice will be made."

On Monday, another Le Pen supporter, David Rachline, mayor of the Mediterranean town of Frejus, also appeared to modify his stance. "We don't want to attack people," he stated, adding that "all those women wearing a hijab are not Islamists."

Le Pen has tried to soften her image in recent years, however, she has not abandoned her far-right objectives.

"People who are present on our territory, who respect our laws, who respect our values, who have sometimes worked in France, have nothing to fear from the policy I want to pursue," Le Pen said on France Bleue radio.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/french-elections-le-pen-says-victory-has-never-been-this-near-urges-france-to-defeat-the-elitist-bloc-471096">French elections: Le Pen says 'victory has never been so near', urges France to defeat the 'elitist bloc'</a>

An encounter on Friday left Le Pen looking sheepish. As she faced the cameras, a hijab-clad woman approached her, asking her to "leave the Muslims alone", adding "We are French, we love this country".

The next day, Le Pen admitted that the problem was complicated. However, she said that parliament would have a role in the choice and that any unwanted legislation could be repealed.

(With inputs from agencies)

As the campaigning in France enters its final days, far-right presidential candidate Marine Le Pen seems to be trying to soften her image. In a recent development, an ally of Le Pen has announced that the planned hijab ban that the presidential candidate had promised as one of the political tools to fight “Islamism” would come “little by little”.

As the campaigning in France enters its final days, far-right presidential candidate Marine Le Pen seems to be trying to soften her image. In a recent development, an ally of Le Pen has announced that the planned hijab ban that the presidential candidate had promised as one of the political tools to fight “Islamism” would come “little by little”. Also read | Neither Macron, nor Le Pen: France erupts in protests against top presidential candidates ahead of elections This marks a shift in her campaign tone, less than a week before the voting takes place. Le Pen has previously stated that the hijab is not a symbol of a person's religious beliefs, but rather an "Islamist uniform" that should be prohibited from public spaces in France. However, the prohibition of the hijab, according to French lawyers, would be a violation of the French constitution. In a country that has suffered a succession of fatal extremist attacks, issues related to France's Muslim population, which is one of Europe's largest, have become a contentious issue. Louis Aliot, former partner of Le Pen, and the mayor of Perpignan told France Inter radio that the hijab ban needed to be implemented gradually. Watch | Gravitas: France Elections: Marine Le Pen accused of embezzlement In his opinion, the ban should begin with state-run services and then be gradually expanded. Echoing Le Pen's words, he said "there will be a debate in parliament and then the choice will be made." On Monday, another Le Pen supporter, David Rachline, mayor of the Mediterranean town of Frejus, also appeared to modify his stance. "We don't want to attack people," he stated, adding that "all those women wearing a hijab are not Islamists." Le Pen has tried to soften her image in recent years, however, she has not abandoned her far-right objectives. "People who are present on our territory, who respect our laws, who respect our values, who have sometimes worked in France, have nothing to fear from the policy I want to pursue," Le Pen said on France Bleue radio. Also read | French elections: Le Pen says 'victory has never been so near', urges France to defeat the 'elitist bloc' An encounter on Friday left Le Pen looking sheepish. As she faced the cameras, a hijab-clad woman approached her, asking her to "leave the Muslims alone", adding "We are French, we love this country". The next day, Le Pen admitted that the problem was complicated. However, she said that parliament would have a role in the choice and that any unwanted legislation could be repealed. (With inputs from agencies)

France elections 2022: Le Pen, allies try to appease voters by softening stance on hijab ban

Neither Macron, nor Le Pen: France erupts in protests against top presidential candidates ahead of elections

The election race in France is quickly gaining steam, with the top two contenders incumbent President Emmanuel Macron and far-right leader Marine Le Pen giving each other tough competition.

Le Pen on Thursday held a major rally in the southern city of Avignon, addressing around 4,000 supporters, she said that "victory has never been so near."

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/french-presidential-election-le-pen-accuses-macron-of-manoeuvring-to-seduce-left-wing-voters-470506">French presidential election: Le Pen accuses Macron of 'manoeuvring' to seduce left-wing voters</a>

Taking aim at her contender Macron, she said that he was "not the man of a new era but the last avatar of a system that has run its course", adding that in her opinion, it is time to put an end to a system that “has run out of breath."

Centrist leader Macron and Le Pen finished first and second respectively in the first phase of elections on April 10th. Third in the race was hard-left candidate Jean-Luc Melenchon. They now face a run-off vote on April 24th.

Before that, on April 20, the two will meet for a live debate, which will be carried live on French television, a critical event in the campaign's last phase.

Seeking to reach out to the left-wing voters, Le Pen during her Thursday rally urged France to defeat elitism and oligarchy in the elections geared to take place this month.

Watch |&nbsp;French Election 2022: Marine Le Pen's agenda sends shockwaves through Europe

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/french-election-2022-marine-le-pens-agenda-sends-shockwaves-through-europe-470961/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Her comments come after the incumbent President received public support for his predecessor Francois Hollande. A socialist, Hollande urged people to back Macron in round two, alleging that Le Pen "was putting our principles into doubt".

Speaking to TF1 Television, he explained that he wants the French to vote for the incumbent "for the sake of the cohesion of France" and its "European future".

Macron also has the backing of right-wing former president Nicolas Sarkozy.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/french-elections-macron-faces-le-pen-in-presidential-runoff-470082">French elections: Macron faces Le Pen in presidential runoff</a>

Calling the 24 April run-off a showdown between the people and oligarchy Le Pen added “the popular bloc will come face-to-face with the elitist bloc."

As per the phase 1 results, Macron has a slight lead over Le Pen. However, as per an AFP report,&nbsp;an Opinonway poll released on Wednesday showed that&nbsp;Macron has 53 per cent support while Le Pen has 47 per cent.

But even such a margin is too close for comfort for Macron supporters, who won nearly 66 per cent of the vote against Le Pen in the 2017 run-off election.

(With inputs from agencies)

The election race in France is quickly gaining steam, with the top two contenders incumbent President Emmanuel Macron and far-right leader Marine Le Pen giving each other tough competition.

The election race in France is quickly gaining steam, with the top two contenders incumbent President Emmanuel Macron and far-right leader Marine Le Pen giving each other tough competition. Le Pen on Thursday held a major rally in the southern city of Avignon, addressing around 4,000 supporters, she said that "victory has never been so near." Also read | French presidential election: Le Pen accuses Macron of 'manoeuvring' to seduce left-wing voters Taking aim at her contender Macron, she said that he was "not the man of a new era but the last avatar of a system that has run its course", adding that in her opinion, it is time to put an end to a system that “has run out of breath." Centrist leader Macron and Le Pen finished first and second respectively in the first phase of elections on April 10th. Third in the race was hard-left candidate Jean-Luc Melenchon. They now face a run-off vote on April 24th. Before that, on April 20, the two will meet for a live debate, which will be carried live on French television, a critical event in the campaign's last phase. Seeking to reach out to the left-wing voters, Le Pen during her Thursday rally urged France to defeat elitism and oligarchy in the elections geared to take place this month. Watch | French Election 2022: Marine Le Pen's agenda sends shockwaves through Europe Her comments come after the incumbent President received public support for his predecessor Francois Hollande. A socialist, Hollande urged people to back Macron in round two, alleging that Le Pen "was putting our principles into doubt". Speaking to TF1 Television, he explained that he wants the French to vote for the incumbent "for the sake of the cohesion of France" and its "European future". Macron also has the backing of right-wing former president Nicolas Sarkozy. Also read | French elections: Macron faces Le Pen in presidential runoff Calling the 24 April run-off a showdown between the people and oligarchy Le Pen added “the popular bloc will come face-to-face with the elitist bloc." As per the phase 1 results, Macron has a slight lead over Le Pen. However, as per an AFP report, an Opinonway poll released on Wednesday showed that Macron has 53 per cent support while Le Pen has 47 per cent. But even such a margin is too close for comfort for Macron supporters, who won nearly 66 per cent of the vote against Le Pen in the 2017 run-off election. (With inputs from agencies)

French elections: Le Pen says 'victory has never been so near', urges France to defeat the 'elitist bloc'

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Le Pen vs Macron: France is gearing up for the last fight, with voting taking place today

French presidential run-off election: What you should know

France elections 2022: Le Pen, allies try to appease voters by softening stance on hijab ban

Neither Macron, nor Le Pen: France erupts in protests against top presidential candidates ahead of elections

French elections: Le Pen says 'victory has never been so near', urges France to defeat the 'elitist bloc'