Macron courts Marseille voters; Climate activists in Paris

French President Emmanuel Macron is holding a major campaign rally in Marseille to try to draw in voters who supported a leftist candidate in the first round of France's presidential election, ahead of Macron's April 24 presidential runoff with far-right challenger Marine Le Pen.

Voters in the multicultural southern French Mediterranean city — one which has often been associated with racism and gang violence -- favored hard-left candidate Jean-Luc Melenchon against the centrist Macron in the April 10 first round of voting that knocked out 10 candidates. Melenchon came in third, after Macron and Le Pen.

Click to Gallery

French far-right leader Marine Le Pen, right, poses for a selfie as she campaigns in a cafe in Saint-Remy-sur-Avre, western France, Saturday, April 16, 2022. Marine Le Pen is trying to unseat centrist President Emmanuel Macron, who has a slim lead in polls ahead of France's April 24 presidential runoff election. (AP PhotoThibault Camus)

French President Emmanuel Macron is holding a major campaign rally in Marseille to try to draw in voters who supported a leftist candidate in the first round of France's presidential election, ahead of Macron's April 24 presidential runoff with far-right challenger Marine Le Pen.

French President and centrist candidate Emmanuel Macron speaks during a campaign rally, Saturday, April 16, 2022 in Marseille, southern France. Far-right leader Marine Le Pen is trying to unseat centrist President Emmanuel Macron, who has a slim lead in polls ahead of France's April 24 presidential runoff election. (AP PhotoLaurent Cipriani)

Le Pen spent Saturday reaching out to voters in Saint-Rémy-sur-Avre, a village in the northwestern France, where she visited an antiques market.

In the center of Paris on Saturday, environmental group Extinction Rebellion launched a three-day demonstration against what they call France's inaction on climate issues. The activists say their objective is “to put climate issues back at the center of the presidential debate.”

French President and centrist candidate Emmanuel Macron speaks during a campaign rally, Saturday, April 16, 2022 in Marseille, southern France. Far-right leader Marine Le Pen is trying to unseat centrist President Emmanuel Macron, who has a slim lead in polls ahead of France's April 24 presidential runoff election. (AP PhotoLaurent Cipriani)

French President and centrist candidate Emmanuel Macron arrives at a campaign rally, Saturday, April 16, 2022 in Marseille, southern France. Far-right leader Marine Le Pen is trying to unseat centrist President Emmanuel Macron, who has a slim lead in polls ahead of France's April 24 presidential runoff election. (AP PhotoLaurent Cipriani)

Supporters of French President and centrist candidate Emmanuel Macron attend a campaign rally, Saturday, April 16, 2022 in Marseille, southern France. Far-right leader Marine Le Pen is trying to unseat centrist President Emmanuel Macron, who has a slim lead in polls ahead of France's April 24 presidential runoff election. (AP PhotoLaurent Cipriani)

French far-right leader Marine Le Pen poses for a selfie as she campaigns in Saint-Remy-sur-Avre, western France, Saturday, April 16, 2022. Marine Le Pen is trying to unseat centrist President Emmanuel Macron, who has a slim lead in polls ahead of France's April 24 presidential runoff election. (AP PhotoThibault Camus)

French far-right leader Marine Le Pen shakes hands with a resident as she campaigns in Saint-Remy-sur-Avre, western France, Saturday, April 16, 2022. Marine Le Pen is trying to unseat centrist President Emmanuel Macron, who has a slim lead in polls ahead of France's April 24 presidential runoff election. (AP PhotoThibault Camus)

French far-right leader Marine Le Pen leaves after a campaign stop in Saint-Remy-sur-Avre, western France, Saturday, April 16, 2022. Marine Le Pen is trying to unseat centrist President Emmanuel Macron, who has a slim lead in polls ahead of France's April 24 presidential runoff election. (AP PhotoThibault Camus)

French far-right leader Marine Le Pen reacts as she campaigns in Saint-Remy-sur-Avre, western France, Saturday, April 16, 2022. Marine Le Pen is trying to unseat centrist President Emmanuel Macron, who has a slim lead in polls ahead of France's April 24 presidential runoff election. (AP PhotoThibault Camus)

More Images

French President Emmanuel Macron is holding a major campaign rally in Marseille to try to draw in voters who supported a leftist candidate in the first round of France's presidential election, ahead of Macron's April 24 presidential runoff with far-right challenger Marine Le Pen.

Le Pen spent Saturday reaching out to voters in Saint-Rémy-sur-Avre, a village in the northwestern France, where she visited an antiques market.

In the center of Paris on Saturday, environmental group Extinction Rebellion launched a three-day demonstration against what they call France's inaction on climate issues. The activists say their objective is “to put climate issues back at the center of the presidential debate.”

French President and centrist candidate Emmanuel Macron speaks during a campaign rally, Saturday, April 16, 2022 in Marseille, southern France. Far-right leader Marine Le Pen is trying to unseat centrist President Emmanuel Macron, who has a slim lead in polls ahead of France's April 24 presidential runoff election. (AP PhotoLaurent Cipriani)

French President and centrist candidate Emmanuel Macron arrives at a campaign rally, Saturday, April 16, 2022 in Marseille, southern France. Far-right leader Marine Le Pen is trying to unseat centrist President Emmanuel Macron, who has a slim lead in polls ahead of France's April 24 presidential runoff election. (AP PhotoLaurent Cipriani)

Supporters of French President and centrist candidate Emmanuel Macron attend a campaign rally, Saturday, April 16, 2022 in Marseille, southern France. Far-right leader Marine Le Pen is trying to unseat centrist President Emmanuel Macron, who has a slim lead in polls ahead of France's April 24 presidential runoff election. (AP PhotoLaurent Cipriani)

French far-right leader Marine Le Pen poses for a selfie as she campaigns in Saint-Remy-sur-Avre, western France, Saturday, April 16, 2022. Marine Le Pen is trying to unseat centrist President Emmanuel Macron, who has a slim lead in polls ahead of France's April 24 presidential runoff election. (AP PhotoThibault Camus)

French far-right leader Marine Le Pen shakes hands with a resident as she campaigns in Saint-Remy-sur-Avre, western France, Saturday, April 16, 2022. Marine Le Pen is trying to unseat centrist President Emmanuel Macron, who has a slim lead in polls ahead of France's April 24 presidential runoff election. (AP PhotoThibault Camus)

French far-right leader Marine Le Pen leaves after a campaign stop in Saint-Remy-sur-Avre, western France, Saturday, April 16, 2022. Marine Le Pen is trying to unseat centrist President Emmanuel Macron, who has a slim lead in polls ahead of France's April 24 presidential runoff election. (AP PhotoThibault Camus)

French far-right leader Marine Le Pen reacts as she campaigns in Saint-Remy-sur-Avre, western France, Saturday, April 16, 2022. Marine Le Pen is trying to unseat centrist President Emmanuel Macron, who has a slim lead in polls ahead of France's April 24 presidential runoff election. (AP PhotoThibault Camus)

But even though Macron come out on top, with Le Pen in second place and far-right support growing in France, the 44-year-old has publicly acknowledged that “nothing is decided” in the tight race to become France's next leader.

Le Pen spent Saturday reaching out to voters in Saint-Rémy-sur-Avre, a village in the northwestern France, where she visited an antiques market.

While campaigning Friday, both candidates were grilled over their differing stances on Muslim religious dress in public spaces — Le Pen wants to ban headscarves in France, a country that has Europe's largest Muslim population. Both Le Pen and Macron were confronted by women in headscarves who asked why their clothing choices should be caught up in politics.

Across France, protesters are railing against a host of issues ahead of the second and final presidential vote.

In the center of Paris on Saturday, environmental group Extinction Rebellion launched a three-day demonstration against what they call France's inaction on climate issues. The activists say their objective is “to put climate issues back at the center of the presidential debate.”

Hundreds of activists from the environmental group XR are also asking both presidential candidates to make commitments to protect the environment.

Follow all AP stories on the 2022 French presidential election at h ttps://apnews.com/hub/french-election-2022