Le Pen in plagiarism row

French far-right presidential candidate Marine Le Pen came under fire on social media yesterday for lifting sections of a speech from a conservative rival, in what Le Pen aides said was a "nod-and-a-wink" to his voters.

Although the speech caused an online sensation over plagiarism, it appeared to be an attempt by Le Pen to reach out to supporters of Francois Fillon, who was knocked out in the April 23 first round of voting after coming third with 20 percent of the vote.

Polls show Le Pen lagging centrist frontrunner Emmanuel Macron by around 20 points before next Sunday's runoff.

In one part of her May 1 speech, lasting about 50 seconds, Le Pen talked about people learning French in Argentina and Poland, and on waiting lists to study at the Alliance Francaise official French schools abroad, in a word-per-word lifting of a mid-April speech by Fillon.

Le Pen added to Fillon's comment that this showed France is more than a military and industrial power, that France "must and can" become a big power again.

It was the second most trending topic on Twitter in France, with the hashtag #plagiat -- plagiarism in French.

Le Pen also described France's borders and ties with "Italy, our sister" - again a phrase used in Fillon's April 15 speech, and used the same quote from early 20th century French Prime Minister Georges Clemenceau.

In another excerpt about prospects of cooperation with France's neighbours, where the words were again the same as in Fillon's speech, Le Pen added that this would require France not being "a vassal" of Germany.