INTERNATIONAL: Faced with a run-off between incumbent Emmanuel Macron and challenger Marine Le Pen for the French presidency, left-wing newspaper "Liberation" struck a sombre mood with its front page for Monday 10th April.

"This time, it's really bad" declared the daily paper as far-right nationalist Le Pen and pro-European economic liberal Macron are set to go head to head on April 24, in a tightly-fought race reminiscent of 2017's election, where Macron won over two thirds of eligible votes.

With partial results putting Macron in first place ahead of Le Pen after the first-round voting on Sunday (April 10), other major candidates admitted defeat. Except for another far-right candidate, Eric Zemmour, they all urged voters to block the far-right in the second round.

But after five years in power in which his abrasive style has upset many, while Le Pen succeeded in softening her image, Macron will not be able to count on voters' traditional anti-far right front.

"Nothing is decided, and the battle we will wage in the next 15 days will be decisive for France and Europe," Macron told supporters, urging all voters to rally behind him on April 24 to stop the far-right from ruling the European Union's second-largest economy.

Ifop pollsters predicted a very tight runoff, with 51% for Macron and 49% for Le Pen. The gap is so tight that victory either way is within the margin of error.