PARIS: French President Emmanuel Macron is to declare he is standing for a new term in April elections he is widely expected to win, sources in his campaign said on Thursday.

The first round of elections are on April 10, followed by a second round run-off two weeks later, with the campaign now dominated by Russia’s war on Ukraine.

Macron, who has until now declined to officially confirm he is standing, will announce his intention in a “letter to the French” that will be published online later, the sources said.

The president, who has been at the centre of diplomacy over Ukraine, has left his official declaration to the last minute with the deadline set by the authorities at 1700 GMT on Friday.

Macron has yet to engage in any official campaigning and scrapped a rally planned in Marseille this weekend due to the Ukraine crisis.

Yet polls have consistently showed him coming out on top in the first round and then winning the second round with ease against any challenger.

Latest polls have indicated that the crisis over Ukraine has even boosted his ratings, with his main right-wing challenger Valerie Pecresse losing support. — ONA