AFP: France's Le Pen and Macron trade blows after TV debate
Paris (AFP) - France's presidential candidates traded fresh blows Thursday after one of the fiercest TV debates in the nation's history, with frontrunner Emmanuel Macron holding on to his status as favourite for the weekend's decisive run-off.
The centrist Macron and his far-right rival Marine Le Pen clashed repeatedly over terrorism, the economy and Europe in Wednesday's hot-tempered debate watched by 16.5 million people.
Le Pen branded the 39-year-old former economy minister and investment banker "the candidate of the elite" while he called her "the high priestess of fear".
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