French far-right leader Marine Le Pen has been charged with misusing European Parliament funds relating to the payment of parliamentary aides.

France's troubled wartime past is taking centre stage in the presidential race as centrist Emmanuel Macron visits a Nazi massacre site and Marine Le Pen's far-right party suffers a new blow over alleged Holocaust denial.

IN setting a record score for the far right in Sunday’s French presidential election, Marine Le Pen has set the stage for her National Front to try and break into parliament at a legislative election in June.

French president Nicolas Sarkozy appealed directly to far-right voters with pledges to get tough on immigration and security, after a record showing in a first round election by the National Front made them potential kingmakers.