At the university of Paris Nanterre, on the outskirts of the French capital, Antoine Guerreiro of the union of communist students was handing out leaflets urging students to vote for Emmanuel Macron in the final round of the presidential election next Sunday.

Or, to be strictly accurate, to vote against the Front National’s Marine Le Pen. Guerreiro can find very little – if anything – to support in Macron’s programme, but needs must. The alternative is worse. “On Sunday night, we were all shaken, but now we must carry on without denying our ideals; and one of our strongest ideals is to oppose the far right in all circumstances,” Geurreiro, 19, said. “It’s clear.”(guardian)…[+]