FRENCH President Emmanuel Macron’s centrist party has withdrawn its backing for a local election candidate after she was pictured with her head covered in their latest attack against the Muslim headscarf.

Sara Zemmahi, a quality engineer who is standing in the southern city of Montpellier, was removed from the LREM party’s list of supported candidates on Wednesday after she appeared on a campaign poster wearing a white headscarf.

The poster received nationwide attention after being included in a tweet from the far-right National Rally party.

Deputy leader Jordan Bardella said: “That’s the fight against separatism,” in a reference to Mr Macron’s declared priority of ridding France of political Islam and extremists.

The poster for the June 20 and 27 local elections shows two men and two women candidates, including Ms Zemmahi, under the slogan: “Different But United For You.”

On the bottom, it notes that the candidates stand for the “presidential majority.”

While the Muslim headscarf is banned in classrooms, there is no law against it being worn on campaign posters.

Ms Zemmahi was away on a work trip, so not available to immediately comment on the decision, which drew criticism from some members of Mr Macron’s party.