Emmanuel Macron has been re-elected for a second term as French president after defeating his far-right rival Marine Le Pen in Sunday’s run-off by winning more than 58 per cent of the vote.
In his victory speech in front of the Eiffel Tower in Paris, Mr Macron acknowledged many had only voted for him solely to keep Ms Le Pen out.
“Many in this country voted for me not because they support my ideas but to keep out those of the far-right. I want to thank them and know I owe them a debt in the years to come,” he said.
Macron added that he would have to preside over a divided nation in his second term after many backed his rival or failed to vote.
“Our country is beset by doubts and divisions,” he said.
“Today’s vote requires us to consider all the hardships of people’s lives and to respond effectively to them and to the anger expressed,” Finance Tme quoted him as saying.
Macron, who was first elected in 2017, promised continuity in economic and a relief to investors and to France’s EU and Nato allies in the midst of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
“No one in France will be left by the wayside,” he said.
