Best quotes from Macron v Le Pen French presidential debate

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Far-right candidate Marine Le Pen and centrist Emmanuel Macron clashed over their vision of France's future, the euro and ways of fighting terrorism in a televised debate on Wednesday before Sunday's run-off vote for the presidency.
French presidential election candidates Marine Le Pen (left) and Emmanuel Macron. PHOTO: AFP

PARIS (AFP) - The rivals for the French presidency, centrist Emmanuel Macron and far-right candidate Marine Le Pen, clashed Wednesday (May 3) in a fiery TV debate ahead of this weekend's runoff.

Here are some of the best quotes:

MACRON TO LE PEN

"The high priestess of fear is sitting before me" - Macron accusing Le Pen of "prospering from the fear of the French people".

"A big company cannot pay in euros on one hand and pay its employees in francs on the other... this is the big nonsense of Marine Le Pen's programme" - Macron attacks Le Pen's plans to partially scrap the euro.

"Your strategy is to tell lots of lies, you don't propose anything" - Macron to Le Pen.

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"The threat that (Islamic extremists) pose is the one you are proposing, it's a civil war" - Macron says Le Pen wants to divide France.

LE PEN TO MACRON

"Whatever happens, France will be led by a woman, either me or Mrs Merkel" - Le Pen alleges that Macron would allow Germany to crush France's economy.

"The France you are defending is a trading room, where it will be everyone fighting for themselves" - Le Pen's view of Macron's economic vision.

"Security and terrorism are major issues that are completely missing from your programme" - Le Pen accuses Macron of failing to grasp the threat facing France.

"Don't play with me. Don't play teacher and pupil. It's not my thing" - Le Pen alluding to Macron's relationship with his former teacher, now wife, Brigitte.

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