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Friday, May 5, 2017

French election: Eiffel Tower break-in on final day of campaigning

Polls suggest Emmanuel Macron has further extended his lead over Marine Le Pen as the French presidential candidates continue their final day of campaigning.

An Elabe poll for BFM TV and L'Express suggests that Mr Macron, a centrist who has never held elected office, will receive 62% of votes during the second round on Sunday.

His three-point bump leaves far-right rival Marine Le Pen on 38%, but she told RTL radio: "My goal is to win this presidential election."

Mr Macron revealed he has already chosen his future prime minister, but the En Marche! leader stopped short of giving a name. He admitted that even his preferred candidate is yet to be told.

:: Who is Emmanuel Macron?

As Mr Macron and Ms Le Pen make their last push for support, protests have been breaking out in Paris.

Environmental activists broke into the Eiffel Tower and hung a banner bearing France's national motto before abseiling down the tower's archway.

The head of Greenpeace in France, Jean-Francois Julliard, told reporters: "Liberty, equality, fraternity: it is vital to defend these values which are particularly threatened by the National Front."

France remains on high alert following a series of terror attacks, and following the break-in, police in Paris said the protest had uncovered "flaws" in the Eiffel Tower's security which needed to be addressed.

:: Who is Marine Le Pen?

Meanwhile, entrances to 10 high schools throughout the capital have been blocked by student protesters who say they are opposed to both presidential candidates.

That sentiment seems to be shared by the wider electorate, with research suggesting that a quarter of those eligible to vote are likely to abstain in Sunday's run-off.

Many of those planning to stay at home are left-wing voters who are disappointed that their preferred candidate was eliminated in the first round.

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