France President Macron beats Le Pen to win second term
President Emmanuel Macron has won the second term of presidential election for the next five years after a convincing victory over rival Marine Le Pen_ who nevertheless secured the highest share of the vote yet as a far-right campaigner.
The first projections showed Emmanuel Macron would secure around 57-58% of the vote. Such estimates are typically accurate but may be fine-tuned as official results came in from around the country.
Cheers of joy erupted as the results appeared on a giant screen at the Champ de Mars Park at the bottom of the Eiffel tower_ where Macron supporters waved French and EU flags. Supporters hugged each other and chanted 'Macron'.
Meanwhile_ a gathering of dejected Le Pen supporters erupted in boos and whistles as they heard the news at a sprawling event hall on the outskirts of Paris.
The vote result is narrower than the second-round clash in 2017_ when the same two candidates met in the run-off and Macron polled over 66 percent of the vote.
Italian Premier Mario Draghi called Macron's victory 'great news for all of Europe'.
European Union president Charles Michel said the bloc can now 'count on France for five more years' while commission chief Ursula von der Leyen shortly congratulated him saying she was 'delighted to be able to continue our excellent cooperation'.
In a combative speech to supporters in Paris where she accepted the result but showed no sign of quitting politics_ Le Pen said she would 'never abandon' the French and was formerly preparing for June legislative elections. The result represents a brilliant victory_ Pen added.
The relatively comfortable margin of victory gives Emmanuel Macron some confidence as he heads into a second five- year mandate_ but the election also represents the closest the far-right has ever come to winning power in France.
Emmanuel Macron is the first French president to win re-election since Jacques Chirac in 2002 after his predecessors Nicolas Sarkozy and Francois Hollande left office after only one term.
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