It’s a divided France, the centre-right wins the far-right: Macron elected for second term as French president leads Le Pen 58.2%-41.8%

Macron elected for a second term as French president leads Le Pen 58.2%-41.8%

It’s a divided France, the centre-right wins the far-right.

The centre-right Emmanuel Macron has been elected to a second term as French president on Sunday evening with 58.2% of the vote, according to an estimate from the Ipsos polling institute. 

His far-right challenger Marine Le Pen won 41.8% of the vote in an election that saw the country’s highest abstention rate in 50 years. Follow our live blog for all the latest news and reactions. 

Eric Zemmour, Le Pen’s far-right rival in the first round, observes that this is “the eighth time that defeat strikes the Le Pen name” but says it is “not inevitable” that the forces of nationalism lose every election.

He says his movement will be at the forefront of the fight, but urges a “grand union” of the patriotic right ahead of the parliamentary elections.

“Two major blocs are organising, the radical left and the centre, and the nationalist bloc must also unite. Our responsibility is immense. It is indispensable. It is our duty.” he said.

After coming third in the election, the left candidate Jean-Luc Mélenchon, who narrowly missed out on a place in Sunday’s run-off duel, took to the stage with his take on the run-off results. He calls Le Pen’s loss “very good news for the unity of our people”.”The third round of the election starts tonight,” the La France Insoumise (France Unbowed) leader says, beginning his pitch in earnest for a leftist majority in June 12 and 19 legislative elections to counterbalance Macron’s presidency saying: “You can defeat Monsieur Macron and choose another path”. Mélenchon, who is continuing the fight to become France’s next prime minister after those elections atop a leftist “New Popular Union” that he says “must be broadened”.