With almost all of the 47 million ballots counted, the leader of the far-right Front National had secured 21.6 per cent of the vote. Marine Le Pen will face centrist Emmanuel Macron, the former Socialist minister who set up his own party to run for president. He won the first round with about 23.8 per cent.

Mr Macron is now the clear favourite to triumph in the second, and final, round in two weeks, according to polls.In the second round of the French presidential election,

In total 11 candidates were participating in the presidential election. Most of them called on their supporters to support Macron in the second round of the May 7 elections.

The announcement of preliminary results were followed with confrontation with the police in Paris. Participants protested against Le Pen`s participation in the second round.