France election: Le Pen victory 'unimaginable' in tight race

French President Emmanuel Macron looks set to win a second term, but could still be vulnerable to an upset from challenger Marine Le Pen.

The country is about to go to the polls for the second round runoff, after no candidate achieved a majority in the first round.

Speaking to Q+A with Jack Tame, Paris-based journalist Megan Clement said Macron has suffered from the high cost of living, along with the perception of some voters that he is out of touch with everyday concerns.

“The Achilles heel of Emmanuel Macron is that people see him as quite arrogant. Marine Le Pen says he's sort of contemptuous of the French public,” said Clement.

Le Pen’s political positioning has been described as nationalistic and far-right, though she has softened some of her traditional positions through this campaign.

She has increased her polling for the runoff by appealing to supporters of other far-right candidates who failed to make the second round, and is now expected to secure about 45% of the vote, according to an aggregate of polls by Politico.

“I think it says that far-right sentiments are strong in this country,” said Clement.

“It shows that there is an anti-immigrant sentiment in this country. It shows that there is an anti-Muslim sentiment in this country. But it also shows the collapse of the traditional political parties here in France.”