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Macron defeated far-right candidate Marine Le Pen by about 65.5% to 34.5% to become, at 39, the country’s youngest president since Napoleon Bonaparte, the results show, reports BBC.
Emmanuel Macron will also become the first president from outside the two traditional main parties since the modern republic’s foundation in 1958, according to BBC.
He said that a new page was being turned in French history.
“I want it to be a page of hope and renewed trust,” he said.
Macron said he had heard “the rage, anxiety and doubt that a lot of you have expressed” and vowed to spend his five years in office “fighting the forces of division that undermine France”.
He said he would “guarantee the unity of the nation and… defend and protect Europe,” reports BBC.
In his speech, Macron claimed victory for the people of France, as well as the country as a whole, saying:
“Tonight you won, France won. Everyone told us it was impossible, but they don’t know France.”
Macron, not to be distracted by his victory, mentioned that in light of his election, the country still had an enormous task ahead of them.
“We have the strength, the energy and the will – and we will not give in to fear,” the 39-year old said.
BBC reported that Macron’s mentioning of National Front leader Marine Le Pen drew boos from the crowd and that the President-elect said he would do all he could to ensure in future there would be no reason to vote for extremism.
