Emmanuel Macron wins French presidential election, defeating Marine le Pen

The French have a new president, with centrist Emmanuel Macron winning the national election and his rival, far-right candidate Marine Le Pen conceding defeat but saying the vote confirms her National Front party and its allies as the leader of France’s opposition.

What you need to know right now:

• Centrist Emmanuel Macron is France’s new president, solidly defeating far-right nationalist Marine Le Pen.
• With the bulk of votes counted, Mr Macron has about 65.5 per cent to Le Pen’s 34.5 per cent, a gap wider than the 20 or so percentage points than predicted.
• Mr Macron, 39, has become the youngest president of France’s Fifth Republic, and the youngest French leader since Napoleon.
• The former investment banker won the election after an unpredictable campaign that divided the country.
• The two candidates offered voters starkly different visions of France: Mr Macron, is a strong supporter of the European Union (EU), while Ms Le Pen campaigned on a France-first, anti-immigration program.
• In his victory speech, Mr Macron vowed to heal the social divisions exposed by France’s acrimonious election campaign and bring “hope and renewed confidence” to the country.
• Ms Le Pen told her supporters the vote confirmed her National Front party and its allies as the leader of France’s opposition.

Source: As it happened: Emmanuel Macron wins French presidential election, defeating Marine le Pen – ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)