Left-wing rioters clash with cops over French election results as far-right Marine Le Pen’s success rocks the divided country
After far-right hopeful Marine Le Pen became one step closer to become president demonstrators took to the streets
PROTESTERS furious at Marine Le Pen's progress towards the French presidency clashed with cops as they were peppered with tear gas.
Following the first round of voting the far-right hopeful moved closer to the top job - leading angry demonstrators to pour onto Paris' streets as their Prime Minister urged voters to back front runner Emmanuel Macron.
Chaotic scenes saw groups of angry young people going up against police carrying shields and wearing helmets after earlier unrest ahead of the crunch election.
The youths, from anarchists and "anti-fascist" groups, gathered on the Place de la Bastille in eastern Paris after the first-round result came through.
As they moved through the streets scores of regimented officers attempted to calm the palpable fury as shop windows were kicked and small fires left on the roads.
Cops peppered the crowds with tear gas as the scenes became rowdier and riot police surrounded the youths.
Prime Minister Bernard Cazeneuve has called for the defeat of Le Pen's National Front party, in comments just after polling agencies projected Le Pen and Emmanuel Macron advancing to the May 7 presidential runoff.
French police have detained three people in election night protests, as demonstrators burned cars, danced around bonfires and dodged riot police.
A Paris police official says that no injuries have been reported in scuffles between protesters and police at the Place de la Bastille.
Demonstrators waved red flags and sang "No Marine and No Macron!" in anger at the results of Sunday's first-round of voting.
Later, around 300 people gathered at a peaceful protest at nearby Place de la Republique, waving red flags and dancing around the flames of a bonfire.
Some sang "Now burn your electoral cards"; or "No Marine and No Macron!".
Protesters have previously disrupted several of Le Pen's campaign events, angry at her anti-immigration policies and her party, which she has sought to detoxify after a past tainted by racism and anti-semitism.
Ahead of the first round of voting, police in Paris used gas after a planned march is said to have turned ugly a day.
Masked protesters threw flares, stones and bottles at officers who are heavily present on the streets of Paris after a gunman killed a policeman and injured two others on Thursday.
A mob of 200 people were said to have hijacked a peacefully rally organised by activists who had gathered at the Place de la Republique before marching.
People dressed in black got amongst the demo and launched the assault on police at the Place de la Bastille.
Elsewhere in the city, more than 100 wives and partners of police protested against attacks on officers following Thursday’s terror assault.
And earlier in the week Le Pen was attacked on stage by a topless woman with a bunch of flowers during a campaign rally.
Armed security officers tackled the protester to the ground before dragging her away.
And a topless female protester later shouted out from the middle of the concert hall in an apparent protest against the candidate.
How does the French Presidential election work?
France has a run-off voting system also known as a two round system.
After the first round of voting, if the winning candidate does not have an absolute majority (or 40-45% of the electorate with a significant winning margin) a second round is held.
But in the second and final vote only the top two candidates are kept while the others are eliminated.
In the 2017 election, Emmanuel Macron and Marine Le Pen are the only two candidates who have advanced to the ‘run-off’ which will be held on May 7.
In the 2002 French presidential election, no candidate received an absolute majority so the top two – Jacques Chirac and Jean-Marie Le Pen – went to a second vote, which Chirac won.
The system ensures that the elected President always obtains a majority.
In order to be admitted as an official candidate, runners must receive signed nominations from more than 500 elected officials.
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