French President Emmanuel Macron has formally announced he will run for a second term in April’s presidential election.

In a “letter to the French” published on French media websites, Mr Macron said: “I am seeking your trust again.

“I am a candidate to invent with you, faced with the century’s challenges, a French and European singular response.”

Mr Macron had indicated he wanted to run in the election scheduled to be held in two rounds on April 10 and April 24, without formally announcing it until now.

But his initial campaign plans have changed since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

In the past weeks, Mr Macron has dedicated most of his time to diplomatic talks with world leaders and coordination with European and other Western allies.

Polls suggest 44-year-old Mr Macron is the frontrunner in the race.

Conservative candidate Valerie Pecresse and two far-right figures, Marine Le Pen and Eric Zemmour, are expected to be his main challengers.

“Being the president helps the candidate,” said Henri Wallard, chairman of the Ipsos in France polling firm.

He noted the 21 million viewers who watched Mr Macron’s address to the nation this week centred on the war in Ukraine and its consequences.