Macron to Hold First Campaign Rally on March 5 in Marseille - Reports

PARIS, (Sputnik) - French President Emmanuel Macron, who has not yet officially announced his candidacy for the upcoming presidential election in France, will hold his first campaign meeting with voters on March 5 in Marseille, BFMTV reported Wednesday, citing sources.

The first meeting with voters will be held at the Parc Chanot Convention and Exhibition Center in Marseille, according to the report.

The first round of the presidential election in France will be held on April 10, the second round is scheduled for April 24. Until March 4, candidates must submit to the country's Constitutional Council at least 500 signatures of elected officials in their support. On March 7, the Constitutional Council will publish the final list of candidates for the election.

A number of politicians have already expressed their intention to run for president, including the leader of the far-right National Rally party, Marine Le Pen, the candidate of the centre-right Republican party, Valerie Pecresse, and another far-right candidate, journalist and writer Eric Zemmour.

However, according to BFMTV, Marine Le Pen decided to suspend her election campaign due to a lack of signatures needed to run for the presidency. She urged French mayors on 21 February to sponsor her bid, warning that otherwise "millions of voters will be deprived of an election". She needs to gather 500 signatures from elected officials from at least 30 different departments.

Another candidate, Eric Zemmour, also reportedly suspended campaign activities for the same reason. He and Le Pen need to gather signatures by a 4 March deadline.