Macron to face Le Pen in French presidential run-off

By Hajer M'tiri

PARIS (AA) - Centrist, independent candidate Emmanuel Macron will face far-right candidate Marine Le Pen in the May 7 run-off of the French presidential election, according to exit polls.

The preliminary results show Macron leading with 24 percent, followed by Le Pen with 21.8 percent.

Conservative candidate Francois Fillon and far-left Jean-Luc Melenchon both won 19 percent.

The Socialist candidate, Benoit Hamon, is way down on 6.5 percent. Hamon already conceded loss in the first round and endorsed Macron for the run-off.

Voters cast their ballots under high-security measures after Thursday’s terrorist shooting in the French capital, in which a police officer and the gunman both died.

The election was too close to call with four frontrunners representing opposite poles coming tight on all polls, which made it the most unpredictable contest in years.