Forty-nine million people were eligible to decide which two of 12 candidates should take part in the run-off vote.

Macron won 28.4% of the vote, ahead of Le Pen (23.4%) and third-placed Jean-Luc Mélenchon (21.1%), the projections showed.

A run-off will be held between Macron and Le Pen on April 24. (ILKHA)