France election

France elections: Macron rejects prime minister's offer to resign

Elisabeth Borne was criticised by some commentators after Mr Macron's coalition lost its majority on Sunday.

Her future looked under threat after the result, which left the president needing to secure support from rivals.

He is set to meet his political opponents for rare talks on Tuesday.

But neither Marine Le Pen's far-right nor Jean-Luc Mélenchon's left-green alliance are keen to work with Mr Macron's centrist government, which is 44 seats shy of a majority and desperately trying to avoid political paralysis.

France election: Le Pen accused of plagiarising Fillon

Several sections of her speech in Villepinte, north of Paris, appear to repeat almost word-for-word comments Mr Fillon made in an address on 15 April.

An official of her National Front party said she had made a "nod" to Mr Fillon and it showed she was "not sectarian".

Ms Le Pen faces centrist Emmanuel Macron in the final round on Sunday.