"It is necessary to debate with National Front, to go to the battlefield to denounce the lies… I have tried to bring the debate back to substantive issues. But it is necessary the two sides to be willing to do this," Macron said Thursday in an interview with France Inter radio station.
Macron pointed out that right-wing candidate Marine Le Pen managed to gain trust of many French citizens, and the very fact that she finished second in the first round showed that he had to put more efforts.
"If the FN is in the second round, it is because there are no results. Every effort should be made to make the country better," Macron said.
Besides, he vowed "to eradicate the anger that the National Front was feeding on."
Ahead of the run-off, set for this Sunday, Macron also called on French citizens not to abstain from voting.
On April 23, Macron won the first presidential election round with 24.01 percent of the vote and Le Pen came in second with 21.3 percent of the vote. According to recent Ifop poll, Macron is projected to gain 60 percent of voted in run-off, whereas Le Pen is set to receive 40 percent.
On April 24, Marine Le Pen announced that she would temporarily "take leave" of the presidency of the National Front, the party founded by her father.
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