After a crisis-plagued mandate, centrist Emmanuel Macron on Sunday became the first president to win re-election in France since 2002. With 58.54% of the vote, the candidate of La République en Marche, once again defeated Marine Le Pen, standard-bearer of Rassemblement Nationale, who would have won 41.46% of the vote in Sunday’s election.
“From now on, I am no longer the candidate of one camp, but the president of all,” the re-elected president said. “The anger and disagreements that led many of our compatriots to vote today for the extreme right must be answered. It will be my responsibility and that of those around me,” he added, emotionally. Macron pledged to govern with a “renewed method” and to find an answer to the “anger” of those who voted for Le Pen.
Following the proclamation of the official results on Wednesday, Macron is due to take up his new mandate by 13 May. His prime minister, Jean Castex, has already said he will resign in the coming days and called for a “new impetus” for the centrist presidency.
Macron’s rival, Marine Le Pen, said that “the party is not finished” and that she hopes there will soon be “a big change”, in reference to the legislative elections in June.
