Thwarted attack rattles France days before presidential vote

Although market-friendly candidate Macron remains well ahead of his three main rivals, Deutsche Bank strategist Jim Reid said investors were concerned that the independent will fail to make the second round run-off, with the worst case market scenario a Le Pen-Melenchon battle. (Philippe Wojazer; Pool via AP) Far-right candidate for the presidential election Marine Le Pen speaks during a campaign meeting in Paris, France, Monday, April 17, 2017.

The French interior minister says police have arrested two suspected radicals who were allegedly preparing an "imminent" terror attack in France as it prepares to vote Sunday in the first round of its presidential election.

He gave no details about potential targets or motives.

In eastern France's industrial rustbelt, workers are massing behind the nationalistic politics of Marine Le Pen.

" Election is now one week away and the polls have the race tightening dramatically with Ms. Le Pen and Mr. Macro still leading the field with an average of 23% of the French population supporting either candidate, but with Mr. Fillon and Mr. Melenchon now only 3% points each behind the front runners, with the front runners losing support while the latter two have seen their numbers rise modestly. I am absolutely sure I'll be in the second round because there is a strong desire for change in our country and I am the only one proposing serious and reasonable change", the 63-year-old told reporters in the southern city of Nice before giving a speech to supporters. "My first measure as president will be to reinstate France's borders", Le Pen said to wide applause and cheers from the crowd of about 5,000, prompting the National Front's (FN) traditional "This is our home!" chant.

Le Pen cast the election as a decision between her "patriotism" and her opponents' "savage globalisation".

After the rally, Le Pen supporter and MP Gilbert Collard claimed he and his wife had been attacked during the protests and he had been hit by a petrol bomb and a beer bottle.

"We feel everywhere the temptation of barbarism ready to surge in other guises". Implicitly referring to Fillon, who is under investigation for abuse of public funds, he suggested some were running for the presidency in order to gain judicial immunity.

"I am not putting it in danger, I'm not the one who made Britain leave, I'm not the one making trouble in all European Union countries, I'm not provoking nationalist feeling everywhere". "European treaties are destroying Europe", he said. "It's Europe's way of organising that's pushing people that way".