France's rivals for the presidency, centrist frontrunner Emmanuel Macron and far-right rival Marine Le Pen, braced for major shows of opposition to their programmes today on a fractious May 1 holiday. <br/><br/>Both candidates will hold rallies just six days before the decisive second round. France's powerful unions will also stage traditional May Day marches but the demonstrations will underscore the conspicuous absence of the united front they showed in 2002 when Le Pen's father Jean-Marie shocked the country by reaching the run-off.<br/><br/>On this day 15 years ago, some 1.3 million people took to the streets of France in union-led demonstrations to protest against the founder of the National Front (FN), including 400,000 in Paris. This time, unions are divided over the choice between Emmanuel Macron and Marine Le Pen.<br/>

France's rivals for the presidency, centrist frontrunner Emmanuel Macron and far-right rival Marine Le Pen, braced for major shows of opposition to their programmes today on a fractious May 1 holiday. <br/><br/>Both candidates will hold rallies just six days before the decisive second round. France's powerful unions will also stage traditional May Day marches but the demonstrations will underscore the conspicuous absence of the united front they showed in 2002 when Le Pen's father Jean-Marie shocked the country by reaching the run-off.<br/><br/>On this day 15 years ago, some 1.3 million people took to the streets of France in union-led demonstrations to protest against the founder of the National Front (FN), including 400,000 in Paris. This time, unions are divided over the choice between Emmanuel Macron and Marine Le Pen.<br/>