Emmanuel Macron

Rest of EU watches on as En Marche leader takes on far-right candidate Marine Le Pen.

The protests were a response to centrist Emmanuel Macron of Le Marche taking the lead, with Marine Le Pen, leader of the far right Front National coming second.

Euro climbs to five-month high against the dollar, while pound falls 1.2%.

High turnout sees France's mainstream parties of right and left badly damaged.

Emmanuel Macron and Marine Le Pen have won the first round of the French election, polls say.

Voters will choose their next president just days after a terrorist attack.

Victory would see wife Brigitte become First Lady, decades after she taught Emmanuel at school.

"You never know, it might be that last day of campaigning that makes all the difference."

Tokyo's Nikkei 225 share average advances 0.8% to 18.576.24 points at mid-day.

Marine Le Pen and Francois Fillon used filters during Q&As.

Emmanuel Macron has less than a week to show that he is the 'something different' France says it wants.

The favourites took turns to take digs at one another in a marathon four-hour contest.

Melenchon has risen steadily as a serious contender in France's upcoming presidential election.

The bipartisan committee is probing Russian links to US President Donald Trump.

"I'm not going to take any risks" – Valls vows to stop Marine Le Pen becoming next French president.

An Ipsos poll shows Le Pen would win first round but be soundly beaten by Emmanuel Macron in second.

France's overseas territories, of which Guiana is the largest of five, vote in the upcoming French elections.

Attacking François Hollande is seen as Fillon's last glimmer of hope to become the next president.

Bruno Le Roux admitted paying daughters €55,000 over seven years to work for him during their school holidays.

Inflation exceeds analysts' expectations of 2.1% in February, driving sterling to multi-week highs against euro and dollar.

Twenty nine per cent of those asked said they believed Macron had been the most convincing of his four rivals.

The 'burkini' emerged as a hot topic for Emmanuel Macron and Marine Le Pen.

Republican candidate's popularity plummets after allegations he paid family members for fake parliamentary jobs.

The French presidential candidate questions May's consistency of ideas and convictions.

Image shows candidate with a hooked nose, which Macron's team call reminiscent of the worst anti-Semitism.

Republican party hopeful sees support plummet since allegations surfaced of paying family members for fake parliamentary jobs.

Polls predict Macron will beat Le Pen in the April first-round after a two-week surge in popularity.

Wife of François Fillon has been accused of taking fake parliamentary jobs

Embattled French centre-right contender refuses to stand down over allegations of illegal payments to wife and children.

Macron has announced a six-tier plan to deliver his vision for France.