Your trusted source

French President Emmanuel Macron wants to stand for a second term in April presidential elections but will only declare his intentions once he is sure, he said in an interview with the Le Parisien newspaper published Tuesday, AFP reported.

"There is no false suspense. I want to," Macron, the last of the major hopefuls in the election yet to declare their candidacy, told the paper when asked if he planned to stand.

"Once the health situation allows it and I have made everything clear -- inside myself and with respect to the political equation -- I will say what it (the decision) is."

He added: "This decision is solidifying deep inside me. I need to be sure that I am able to go as far as I want."

The comments to Le Parisien represented by far Macron's clearest indication yet he plans to stand -- while not ending the suspense over his intentions.

Macron, who swept to power in 2017 on a pledge to reform France and restore its status as a global power, is the overwhelming favourite to win the election but analysts caution his victory is far from certain.

He faces a challenge from his old far-right rival Marine Le Pen -- who he trounced in the 2017 run-off vote -- but also from the far-right pundit Eric Zemmour who enjoyed a major surge in early support.