PARIS, March 29 (Reuters) - Former French Prime Minister Manuel Valls said on Wednesday he would vote for Emmanuel Macron in the presidential election, the biggest Socialist Party name to date to turn his back on its official candidate and support the centrist instead. This is a break from tradition, as Valls is a socialist and yet has decided to switch his allegiance from the election’s socialist candidate

Valls has said he wants to do all he can to ensure that the National Front leader, Marine Le Pen, who is second place in the polls, does not win. Mr Valls said on BFM television that he will vote for centrist Mr Macron in the two-round presidential vote on April 23 and May 7 “because I think we must take no risk for the Republic”. “I will vote for Emmanuel Macron.”

French opinion polls show Macron winning the election in a second-round vote where he would face off against Le Pen with Socialist Benoit Hamon set for a humiliating fifth place in the first round eliminator.
Former candidate Manuel Valls (PS) announces his support for Emmanuel Macron (En Marche!) rather than for his own party's nominee, Benoît Hamon.