Choice between extremes as French vote nears climax

Riot police continue to engage in violent clashes with anti fascist groups who seemingly can not accept the result of the public vote - which shows Mr Macron won 23.3 per cent of support compared to Ms Le Pen's estimated 21.7 per cent.

"Extremism can can only bring unhappiness and division to France", Fillon said.

"Tonight is party time", said hairdresser Aurore Cappelle, as some 300 far-right supporters formed conga lines and local mayor Steeve Briois danced to "I love rock and roll".

Le Pen set a new record for her National Front (FN) party by attracting 6.9 million votes.

Cazeneuve said that "the presence of a candidate of the extreme right. obligates us to unite all supporters of the Republic against her".

Political analysts say Macron's apparent win today showed that many French people still believe in a more liberal, open, global society even as populists have won big victories in the previous year with the United Kingdom's vote to leave the European Union and Donald Trump's election in the United States.

European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker congratulated Emmanuel Macron and wished him well for the run-off vote, according to his spokesman Margaritis Schinas.

Backers of the far-left showman Jean-Luc Melenchon were also disappointed that not he, but Le Pen, will challenge Macron now for the presidency.

Firstly, Mr. Macron is a new face.

French presidential election candidate Emmanuel Macron celebrates after the first round of the French presidential elections.

His wife Brigitte joined him on stage before his speech.

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She accused her opponent of trying to be "heir" to current French President Francois Holland.

"The major issue of this election is runaway globalisation, which is putting our civilisation in danger", she said.

"The time has come to free the French people", she said at her election day headquarters in the northern French town of Henin-Beaumont, adding that nothing short of "the survival of France" would be at stake in the presidential run-off.

Political campaigning was banned Saturday and Sunday until the polls close across France at 8 p.m. Sunday. Even under a constitution that concentrates power in the president's hands, both Macron and Le Pen will need legislators in parliament to pass laws and implement much of their programs.

Numerous voters who spoke to The Canadian Press said they weren't overly enthusiastic about Macron but believed he would eliminate Le Pen in the second round.

"The election of Marine Le Pen would make Brexit look trivial by comparison".

Both Le Pen and the leftist Melenchon promise to completely alter France's relationship with the European Union, driving comparisons with the UK's Brexit.

The most probable outcome is a legislature in which a large, centrist "presidential" bloc supports Macron, but where he could conceivably be held hostage by anti-Macron forces that are likely to form a vocal and disruptive phalanx questioning his legitimacy and fitness to govern. An Ipsos-Sopra Steria poll published by French media, including the daily Le Monde, projected Macron with 23.9 percent while putting Le Pen at 21.7 percent.

"The election of either Le Pen or Melenchon would put Paris on a fast-track collision course with (EU officials in) Brussels", said James Shields, professor of French politics at Aston University in Britain.

PARIS The populist tsunami that slammed into Britain a year ago, before sweeping across the Atlantic to the United States, may have faded on the shores of France on Sunday.

The vote was held under tight security following the killing of a Paris police officer that was claimed by the extremist Islamic State (IS) group.