He was followed by far-right candidate Marine Le Pen, who got 21% of the votes.
Two weeks ago, Le Pen made a statement downplaying France's role in the Holocaust, which caused outrage among French voters and her political rivals and reignited arguments over the party's anti-Semitism.
That is a big bonus for investors who are fretful about the prospect that a Le Pen presidency could lead to France withdrawing from the eurozone, plunging the project into chaos and risking its total break-up.
Paris media said the move is meant to reaching out for the voters of candidates defeated in the first round, particularly those of the Republicans' François Fillon.
Le Pen expressed her intentions about immigrants during her presidential program presentation, which took place on February 5 in Lyon, saying that she is the only candidate who can protect her country from Islamic extremism.
She may also be seeking to play Mr Macron at his own game, as the 39-year old centrist has refused to join mainstream parties, and consistently described his "En Marche!".
Sabrine, Adewele, and Charlene, are student interns at an insurance company in central Paris. On Sunday, Marine Le Pen, who has campaigned on an openly xenophobic and racist platform, claimed the "survival of France" is at stake in the May 7 runoff.
"One Beur (Arab), one black, one white", he said sarcastically. Conservative candidate Francois Fillon and fifth-placed Socialist candidate Benoit Hamon have both rallied behind Macron but radical left candidate Jean-Luc Melenchon pointedly avoided endorsing the centrist.
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Since Marine Le Pen announced she was "no longer the president of the National Front".
"That was disdainful towards the French people", Phillipot said. "For my part, I will vote for Emmanual Macron", Hollande said on Monday.
The number of votes was a record for the party, with Le Pen only narrowly beaten by Macron. She's since tried to forge alliances with Jewish communities in France.
The last time France had a cohabitation arrangement between the Elysee and the government was from 1997 and 2002 when right-wing president Jacques Chirac had to work with a Socialist government under Prime Minister Lionel Jospin.
Le Pen holds out a still starker comparison, saying French voters will be making a choice between "uncontrolled globalization and the nation".
"She's against globalism. She wants French sovereignty back again". "So she is in a truly bad position to be talking about the elites and the people".
Christian called Macron the "face of France" and someone who would "modernise the French political system".





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