Marine Le Pen ‘serene’ as voting begins in France’s presidential election

Voting has begun in the French presidential election run-off (AP Photo/Daniel Cole)

France has started voting in a presidential runoff election with repercussions for Europe’s future, with centrist incumbent Emmanuel Macron the front-runner but fighting a tough challenge from far-right rival Marine Le Pen.

The centrist Mr Macron is asking voters to trust him for a second five-year term despite a presidency troubled by protests, the pandemic and the war in Ukraine.