France elections: Macron’s lead over Le Pen narrowing as vote nears

Centrist incumbent and far-right rival go into last day of campaigning after a week of sparring in media

The French president, Emmanuel Macron, and his far-right challenger Marine Le Pen attacked each other in media interviews and walkabouts as final polls showed the gap between them narrowing on the last day of campaigning before Sunday's first-round vote.

Macron said Le Pen was lying" to voters about her racist" manifesto programme, which includes banning the Muslim headscarf, and accused her of complacency" in her ties with Russia's Vladimir Putin.