In June, many of those voting for Mr Macron are expected to return to their preferred candidates, including far-Left leader Jean-luc Mélenchon, who came a close third to Ms Le Pen and Mr Macron in the first round of the election.

A total of 42 per cent of Mr Mélenchon’s supporters, who number about seven million, lent their vote to Mr Macron, but are now expected to back the Corbyn-style firebrand who wants to be prime minister. 

Mr Mélenchon said on Sunday night that the “election is the worst result of the Fifth Republic” and added that “the third round starts tonight”, referring to June’s elections.

“For him, an election he does not win is an election that does not exist,” Mr Attal said of Mr Mélenchon, who wants to lead a coalition of Left and Green parties to push for a higher minimum wage and prevent the rise in the age of retirement. 

Mr Macron’s victory over Ms Le Pen, who scored the best ever result for the hard-Right in a presidential election, was narrower than in 2017