French elections: first-round results and reactions
The first round of the French presidential elections was held on Sunday, when centre-right Emmanuel Macron, seeking a second term in office, and far-right Rassemblement National party leader Marine Le Pen emerged as the highest placed out 12 candidates. They will now go on to a second and final round duel on April 24th. There were surprises in the scores of other candidates, and who their supporters decide to back, or not, in the second round will be crucial in what promises to be a tight second-round contest. Find out how the election night unfolded with our live coverage of the events here (along with the official results announced on Monday and a basic guide to how the elections work). Reporting by Graham Tearse and Michael Streeter.