Far-right nationalist Marine Le Pen and independent centrist Emmanuel Macron came out swinging from the start of Wednesday’s only televised head-to-head debate of the presidential election.<\/b>
\nLe Pen immediately blasted Macron as a cold banker who would worsen unemployment levels and allow the finance sector to plunder the economy. She called herself the \u00ab\u00a0candidate of the people, of the France we love. \u00ab\u00a0
Macron shot back that Le Pen lacked finesse and, for many years, has profited on the anger of the French people and promoted the \u00ab\u00a0spirit of defeatism.\u00a0\u00bb
For more than two hours they sparred in the last chance to convince voters ahead of Sunday’s election that they are qualified to lead a nation, which has become increasingly fractured over the current government’s inability to cope with concerns around immigration, integration and an ailing economy.
In the end, 63% of those who participated in survey after the debate found Macron more convincing than Le Pen, according to pollster Elabe, which provided results for CNN affiliate BFMTV.
Lots of accusations, little moderation
The candidates sat across from each other at the Paris event — often speaking over each other as moderators tried unsuccessfully to interrupt them.
All night, Le Pen portrayed her opponent as out of touch and elitist. Macron dismissed his rival as a divisive figure with no political platform beyond her extremist views.
At one point, Le Pen chastised her younger opponent.
\u00ab\u00a0Don’t play with me, \u00a0\u00bb she said. \u00ab\u00a0Don’t play teacher and pupil. It’s not my thing.\u00a0\u00bb
Macron, she said, was the candidate of corporate interests.
\u00ab\u00a0You defend private interests, \u00a0\u00bb she said.
Macron accused Le Pen of lacking a strategy to turn the economy around.
\u00ab\u00a0We must give our small and medium-sized enterprises the opportunity to create more jobs, \u00a0\u00bb Macron said.
He added, \u00ab\u00a0Your strategy is simply to say a lot of lies and say everything that is wrong.\u00a0\u00bb
Terrorism among hot topics
The candidates traded barbs on the highly charged issue of terrorism.
Le Pen accused Macron of lacking firmness and of being \u00ab\u00a0indulgent against Islamic terrorism.\u00a0\u00bb She vowed to immediately expel all foreigners identified on a terror watch list and to strip people suspected of Islamic extremism of their French nationality.
\u00ab\u00a0We have to make sure the territory is protected, \u00a0\u00bb she said. \u00ab\u00a0That is something I would do immediately once in power.\u00a0\u00bb
She added, \u00ab\u00a0We have to eradicate ideology of Islamism in France.\u00a0\u00bb
Macron said the fight against terrorism would be his first priority, which he would address by increasing the resources of police and security forces and strengthening the enforcement of watch lists \u00ab\u00a0even if it deprives people of some of their freedoms.\u00a0\u00bb
\u00ab\u00a0Putting everyone in prison or sending them abroad does not make any sense to me, \u00a0\u00bb he said.
Debate covers ties to Europe, US, Russia
An anti-European Union, anti-NATO candidate, Le Pen has previously pushed for closer ties with Russia and has said she would drop the sanctions imposed on Moscow by the EU.
Macron, a pro-EU, pro-integration politician, favors closer ties with Europe and has said France should do more to solve the migrant crisis.
On Wednesday night, they voiced divergent views on diplomatic relations with Russia and the United States.
Le Pen called Russia a \u00ab\u00a0great nation\u00a0\u00bb and said there is \u00ab\u00a0no reason to wage Cold War\u00a0\u00bb again.
\u00ab\u00a0I think we need to keep our distance from both Russia and US, \u00a0\u00bb she said.
Macron expressed his willingness to work with both on issues such as the Syria conflict.
\u00ab\u00a0I will not accept to have my behavior dictated by Mr. Putin, and that’s the difference with Mrs. Le Pen, \u00a0\u00bb he said. \u00ab\u00a0We will not submit to Russia or Mr. Putin’s values, as they are not the same values as ours.\u00a0\u00bb
He called the United States a working partner on a number of regional issues.
Macron used the night to attack Le Pen’s far-right National Front Party, which he said promoted hatred and \u00ab\u00a0generously dispenses brutality everywhere. \u00ab\u00a0
Polls suggest Macron will triumph in the election, but the specter of a mass voting boycott remains.
The debate marked the first time a French presidential runoff candidate has accepted an invitation to debate a far-right opponent.
In 2002, Le Pen’s father and founder of the National Front, was denied the opportunity to debate Jacques Chirac after the eventual president refused to appear on stage with him, citing his opponent’s extremist views.
How in touch are they with voters?
Most had expected that Le Pen, a former lawyer, would shine in the debates, yet, it has been Macron, the lesser experienced of the two, who has outshone his opponent in larger format events to date.
French election: Is it Emmanuel Macron’s to lose?
Macron, at 39, if successful would become the youngest president in the history of France and the nation’s youngest leader since Napoleon.
Many see him as a millionaire, former investment banker and economy minister, who remains very much part of the \u00ab\u00a0elite.\u00a0\u00bb They are unsure as to how Macron will actually govern given he is not backed by a political party.
He has struggled to connect with those living in rural France and the former industrialized areas which are now suffering with high unemployment.
Both Macron and Le Pen will be attempting to persuade the seven million or so voters who backed Jean-Luc M\u00e9lenchon in the first round. The far-left firebrand has so far refused to endorse either candidate.
However there are plenty of people who say they could never vote for Le Pen and since the conclusion of the first round of voting, she has been attempting to widen her appeal.
Last month, she announced that she had temporarily stepped down as leader of the National Front, painting herself as an independent candidate.
Related: Macron, Le Pen, or neither?
What the first round results showed is that she needs to reach out and perhaps play down more extreme parts of her campaign.
She has toned down the prospect of \u00ab\u00a0Frexit\u00a0\u00bb — France’s departure from the European Union — and has also courted the voters of failed Republican candidate Francois Fillon.
On Tuesday, she gave a speech, which drew accusations of plagiarism. Her camp defended it saying it was \u00ab\u00a0a nod to Fillon\u00a0\u00bb rather than Le Pen ripping him off, but she can ill afford any further slip-ups.
She has also been outspoken on immigration, insisting she would curb migration to a net 10,000 people a year.
Her stance contrasts markedly with Macron, a pro-EU, pro-integration politician, who wants closer ties with Europe and has said France should do more to solve the migrant crisis.
The debate will take in 10 different areas of policy including the economy, security and Europe.
Head to head: How Le Pen and Macron compare<\/p>\n

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Similarity rank: 19<\/div>\n

Sentiment rank: -0.7<\/div>\n

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