French Communist-backed presidential candidate Jean-Luc Melenchon drew tens of thousands of supporters to an open-air rally Sunday, underlining his surging popularity just two weeks from the unpredictable election.

Israel on Monday condemned French far-right presidential candidate Marine Le Pen's for denying her country was responsible for the war-time round-up of Jews later sent to Nazi death camps.

French presidential frontrunner Emmanuel Macron detailed his priorities Sunday for his first few months in office if elected, as polls showed the unpredictable race tightening just two weeks before voting.

Seventy percent of French people believe outgoing Socialist leader Francois Hollande was a "bad president", according to a new poll published on Thursday.

French presidential frontrunner Emmanuel Macron attacked far-right leader Marine Le Pen over her economic policy and plans to scrap the euro on Tuesday in an unprecedented debate between all 11 contenders ahead of this month's election.

All 11 candidates in France's presidential election, from frontrunners Marine Le Pen and Emmanuel Macron to also-rans, take part in a giant TV debate on Tuesday seeking to swing undecided voters.

Self-styled revolutionary Carlos the Jackal, already serving two life terms for murder, was given a third life sentence on Tuesday for a deadly 1974 Paris bombing.

Carlos the Jackal, already serving two life sentences for murder, should be given a third life term for a deadly 1974 bombing in Paris, a French prosecutor said Monday.

French far-right leader Marine Le Pen came under assault from all sides in a presidential election debate that provided a test of centrist Emmanuel Macron's ambitions to be leader. 

French rightwing presidential candidate Francois Fillon said Wednesday he had the backing of angry voters after being charged with misusing public money, as scandals rather than policy continue to dominate the campaign.