Marine Le Pen

Far-right French presidential candidate Marine Le Pen has announced that she is stepping aside as leader of her National Front (FN) party, BBC reported.

The move comes just a day after she reached the second round of the French election, where she will face centrist Emmanuel Macron.

Ms Le Pen told French TV she needed to be above partisan considerations.

Centrist candidate Emmanuel Macron and far-right leader Marine Le Pen have won the most votes in Sunday's presidential elections in France.

They have qualified for the runoff on May 7.

According to the final results announced by the French Interior Ministry, Macron won 23.75 percent in the first round, followed by Le Pen with 21.53 percent.

Greece's ruling SYRIZA party said that it would follow the example of the French Communist Party and back independent centrist Emmanuel Macron in the second round of France's presidential election against far-right nationalist candidate Marine Le Pen.

Centrist candidate Emmanuel Macron and far-right leader Marine Le Pen have won the most votes in Sunday's presidential elections in France.

They have qualified for the runoff on May 7.

Marine Le Pen stormed into the final straight of the French presidential election last night as mutinous voters humiliated the country's two established parties, writes The Times.

In a victory speech Sunday evening, Front National anti-mass migration candidate Marine Le Pen called on patriots in France to support her against Emmanuel Macron, who she called the heir of unpopular French President Francois Hollande.

Pro-European centrist Emmanuel Macron and anti-immigration leader Marine Le Pen began a final duel for the French Presidency on April 24, after a first round of voting delivered a stunning blow to the traditional political class.

France voted on April 23 under heavy security in the first round of the most unpredictable presidential election in decades, with the outcome seen as vital for the future of the beleaguered European Union.

Far-right leader Marine Le Pen and centrist Emmanuel Macron were the favorites to progress to a run-off on May 7.

France began voting on April 23 under heavy security in the first round of the most unpredictable presidential election in decades, with the outcome seen as vital for the future of the beleaguered European Union.

Europe and the rest of the word are on the edge of their seats as nearly 47 million French voters are going to the voting booths to choose their candidate in the first round of the French Presidential elections on Sunday, April 23. Voting has already began after the conclusion of an acrimonious campaign between the four major candidates.