French President Emmanuel Macron on Sunday won the re-election, defeating his prominent rival Marine Le Pen. Macron is believed to have won around 58% of votes as compared to Le Pen’s 42% if the estimated polls are anything to go by. The actual numbers will be announced today.
This result comes as a relief to Europe considering that Le Pen has been seen as the extreme-right and has continuously raised racist comments. Her entire campaign was based on wanting to ban Muslim women from wearing a headscarf in public. Considering the Brexit situation and German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s exit from politics, Le Pen’s win would have expected to rock the region.
However, Centrist Macron has his own challenges as winning is never the end, rather a beginning. He will have to face parliamentary elections in June, where it will be essential to maintain a majority.
Addressing thousands of supporters, during his victory speech, Macron, 44, talked about how many voters opted for the extreme-right. He said, “An answer must be found to the anger and disagreements that led many of our compatriots to vote for the extreme right. It will be my responsibility and that of those around me.”
Furthermore he said, “Each of us matters more than ourselves. This is what makes the French people this singular force that I love so deeply, so intensely, and that I am so proud to serve again.”
As such congratulations flooded in for Macron from all sides, especially from the European nations. Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi said that Macron’s victory was a ‘great news for all of Europe’.
EU president Charles Michel in a tweet extended warm wished to Macron and said, “In this turbulent period, we need a solid Europe and a France totally committed to a more sovereign and more strategic European Union.”
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson sent wishes through Twitter. He said, “France is one of our closest and most important allies. I look forward to continuing to work together on the issues which matter most to our two countries and to the world.”
