French election results - live: Macron win sparks protests, Le Pen ‘won’t give up’

Social media footage shows police using teargas on demonstrators

Emmanuel Macron wins second term as French president after Marine Le Pen concedes defeat

Bitter demonstrations have broken out after Emmanuel Macron was re-elected as president of France on Sunday night.

Police charged and fired teargas at protesters, who took to the streets of Paris, Lyon, Montpellier and Toulouse to protest Mr Macron’s victory, which came despite a rise in popularity for the far-right leader Marine Le Pen.

Footage on social media showed protesters in Montpellier chanting “Ni Marine, Ni Macron,” meaning “neither Marine, nor Macron,” while bins were set aflame in Toulouse.

In Paris, at Place de la République, protesters could be heard comparing Macron to the last King of France, King Louis XVI.

They could be heard saying, in French: “Louis Sixteenth, Louis Sixteenth, we beheaded him, Macron, Macron, we can start again”.

Meanwhile, Ms Le Pen’s 41.5 per cent of the vote signals growing popularity for France’s far-right movement, a result not lost on Ms Le Pen.

“In this defeat, I can’t help but feel a form of hope,” she said. “I will never abandon the French.”

Follow live updates on the French election below

Key Points

• Macron defeats rival Le Pen with almost 60% votes
• Exit polls point to Macron win
• Le Pen calls exit poll results ‘shining victory’ despite predicted loss
• Pollsters predict biggest abstention rate in decades
• Polls open in France as Macron takes on Le Pen
• Le Pen drawing on anger I haven’t quelled, Macron says

[25 April 2022 09:44 · Ella Glover]

Vladimir Putin congratulates Macron on French election win

Russian President Vladimir Putin has sent his congratulations to Emmanuel Macron, after the French leader’s election victory.

“I sincerely wish you success in your state activities, as well as good health and well-being,” Putin said in a message to Macron, according to a statement from the Kremlin.

Sam Hancock reports:

[25 April 2022 09:56 · Ella Glover]

After French election win, Macron faces even tougher test with political battle at home and war abroad

Emmanual Macron faces myriad challenges ranging from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine to the future of the EU.

Head of the Paris office of European Council on Foreign Relations, Tara Varma, said Mr Macron “has to show that his ambitions have not faltered.”

Closer to home, Mr Macron must work to “serve the needs of a volatile population seemingly seething with anger,” writes Borzou Daragahi.

[25 April 2022 10:20 · Ella Glover]

Marine Le Pen vows to ‘continue the fight for France’ after defeat

Despite a third unsuccessful attempt to become French president, far-right leader Marine Le Pen says she will continue to keep up the fight against Emmanuel Macron.

“I will continue the fight for France and the French people,” Ms Le Pen told supporters in a defiant speech after her defeat. “I fear the next five years will not break with the contempt and the brutal policies of the last five years and Emmanuel Macron will do nothing to repair the divisions in our country.”

Thomas Kingsley reports:

[25 April 2022 10:35 · Ella Glover]

ICYMI: Watch as Macron vows to be ‘everyone’s president’ and heal divided France in victory speech

[25 April 2022 11:10 · Ella Glover]

Many voted for Macron to keep Le Pen out, says Macron

French president Emmanual Macron acknowledged yesterday that many people voted for him to “keep out” the far right.

“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.

“We will have to be benevolent and respectful because our country is riddled with so many doubts, so many divisions.”

Mr Macron won 58 per cent of the vote, lower than the 66.1 per cent he scored against Marine Le Pen in the first runoff in 2017.

[25 April 2022 11:25 · Ella Glover]

People will ‘take to the streets’ if Macron repeats his mandate

President Macron’s last 5-year-term saw a swathe of protests from left-wingers, right-wingers, trade unionists and more.

If he repeats the same mandate in his next term - including plans to push the retirement age from 62 to 65 years - one protester said, he should expect people to take to the streets again.

“He’s not going to do another five years of the same mandate, that’s clear. We won’t let him do it,” 63-year-old administrative worker Colette Sierra told Reuters.

“If he does, I think people are ready to take to the streets if there isn’t the right kind of coalition government.”

However, some voters were genuinely happy with Macron‘s win.

“I’m very happy about the result because this president has already steered us through several challenges,” said 65-year-old lorry driver Lucien Sozinho. “He has shown courage, and there you have it, that’s the result.”

Additional reporting by Reuters

[25 April 2022 11:33 · Ella Glover]

WATCH: Farage compares UKIP to France’s far-right leader Marine Le Pen

[25 April 2022 11:57 · Ella Glover]

Third of registered voters did not vote

With some 48.7 million registered voters, the turnout for yesterday’s second round of voting was just 72 per cent.

Voter abstentions were at 28 per cent - the highest in any second-round run-off vote since 1969.

Of those who did go to the polling stations, 8.6 per cent chose not to cast a vote, with 2.25 per cent spoiling their ballot and 6.35 per cent leaving their’s blank.

Although 61 per cent of 18- to 24-year-olds voted for Macron, 41 per cent did not vote at all.

In total, around a third of registered voters abstained from voting.

[25 April 2022 12:24 · Ella Glover]

Protesters chant ‘Neither Marine, nor Macron’ following results

Protesters who took part in demonstrations following President Macron’s re-election could be heard shouting “Ni Marine, Ni Macron,” meaning “neither Marine, nor Macron”.

Left-wing protests were widespread following the result, as people felt like they did not have a candidate they wanted to support.

Dozens of people gathered in the neighbourhood of Chatelet, as well as on Place de la République, to oppose Mr Macron’s victory. Protests also took place in Lyon, Montpellier and Toulouse.

One video showed protesters comparing Mr Macron to France’s last King, Louis XVI.

“Louis Seize, Louis Seize, on l’a décapité, Macron, Macron, on peut recommencer,” they can be heard saying, which translates into English as: “Louis Sixteenth, Louis Sixteenth, we beheaded him, Macron, Macron, we can start again”.

Sam Hancock has the full story:

[25 April 2022 12:51 · Ella Glover]

What does Emmanuel Macron’s win mean for France?

Not only was Macron back – the first president to win a second term for 20 years – but Europe was back, writes Mary Dejevsky.

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