The centrist Emmanuel Macron will face far-right leader Marine Le Pen in a run-off for the French presidency on 7 May, near-final results show.

With 96% of votes counted from Sunday’s first round, Macron has 23.9% with Le Pen on 21.4%, reports the BBC.

Opinion polls have consistently predicted Macron defeating his rival in the run-off.

The two fought off a strong challenge from centre-right François Fillon and hard-left Jean-Luc Mélenchon.

Whoever wins the second round, the voting marks a shift away from the decades-long dominance of leftist and centre-right parties in French politics.

BDST: 1224 HRS, APR 24, 2017
SR