French election results - live: Macron win sparks protests, Le Pen ‘won’t give up’
Social media footage shows police using teargas on demonstrators
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
Marine Le Pen vows to ‘continue the fight for France’ after defeat
Far-right leader Marine Le Pen called her defeat a “brilliant victory” after she secured 41 per cent of the vote on Sunday.
Despite the loss, Le Pen said she would continue to “fight for France”.
She said: “I will continue the fight for France and the French people.
“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.”
Marine Le Pen vows to ‘continue the fight for France’ after defeat
Modi welcomes Macron victory
Following his victory, India’s Prime Minister Narendi Modi congratulated Emmanual Macron on Twitter.
“Congratulations to my friend @EmmanuelMacron on being re-elected as the President of France!” he wrote.
“I look forward to continue working together to deepen the India-France Strategic Partnership.”
Macron has been re-elected - but what happens next?
After winning another five years in the French presidential palace, Emmanuel Macron intends to go back to work straightaway on domestic and foreign policy — but he will soon face crucial parliamentary elections where he may struggle to keep his majority.
The Associated Press look at what comes next for Macron and his leadership of France:
French President Macron reelected : What's happening next?
ICYMI: Macron’s journey from a political novice to key world player
During his political career of five years, Emmanuel Macron has gone from being a newbie in politics to a key world player and weighty decision-maker in the European Union. He is now deeply involved in efforts to mediate between Russia and Ukraine to end the war.
The outspoken 44-year-old centrist became the first French president to win a second term.
Mr Macron is often perceived as arrogant and out of touch with ordinary people by his critics. He has been notably dubbed “president of the rich”, especially during the “yellow vest” protests in the country against social injustice. He is also critically known for a perceived authoritarian attitude, believed to be responsible for violent incidents involving police during street protests.
Mr Macron rose to power after studying at France’s elite school Ecole Nationale d’Administration, and later went on to become a senior civil servant, then a banker at Rothschild for a few years, then economic adviser to Socialist president Francois Hollande. He emerged from that backstage role onto the political scene when he served as economy minister in Hollande’s government from 2014 to 2016.
Describing himself as “a president who believes in Europe”, he argues that the EU is the way for France to be stronger in a global world.
A strong advocate of entrepreneurial spirit, he has eased rules to hire and fire workers and made it harder to get unemployment benefits. Critics accuse him of destroying worker protections.
With inputs from AP
Boris Johnson ‘very, very reassured’ over Ukraine after French election
Campaigning in Bury ahead of local elections in May, Boris Johnson indicated that, with regards to the war in Ukraine, he was “very, very reassured” by the result in France.
Asked by a reporter whether Emmanuel Macron’s re-election was “good news for the UK”, the prime minister said: “I think it’s very important that we have, in Paris, a president of the French Republic who can be relied upon when it comes to some of the most important international issues, and particularly when you look at what’s been going on in Ukraine.
“It’s not right for friendly governments to comment on elections in neighbouring countries but what I can certainly say is that it is very, very important that Emmanuel and I have been able to work closely together on Ukraine over the last few weeks and months.
“We share a very common, very similar perspective and the unity of the West, the unity of Nato, has been absolutely vital for the stance we’ve taken against Putin, and that will now continue and I’m very, very reassured by that.”
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments