By Hajer M'tiri
PARIS
Centrist independent candidate Emmanuel Macron beat on Sunday with comfortable margin the far-right rival Marine Le Pen to become France's new president, according to exit polls.
The polls placed Macron first with 62.46 percent ahead of Le Pen who got 37.54 percent of the votes in the run-off round. The initial percentages can change slightly as the rest of the votes are counted.
The far-right leader has conceded defeat and said her National Front party has become the country's leading opposition party, pledging a “profound reform” of her party to create "a new political force".
Macron, a former economy minister, who has never before run for elected office, is ardently pro-EU and has praised German Chancellor Angela Merkel for taking in over a million refugees.
Macron, a former investment banker, was top adviser on economic issues of outgoing president Francois Hollande from 2012 to 2014, then economy minister in his Socialist government for two years.
He later founded his own political movement 'En Marche!' (On the move) in April last year.
New page of history
In a very calm and short victory speech, Macron thanked those who trusted him and elected him saying it is a "big honor, and an immense responsibility".
He said his address is to all of France’s citizens, not just those who voted for him and saluted his rival Marine Le Pen.
"A new page of history is starting today. I want this page to be one of hope and trust," Macron said, adding he is "aware of the anger, doubt and anxiety" that many French feel.
On Europe, Macron promised "to work to re-establish the links between Europe and the peoples who form it". He assured that France will be "at the forefront of the fight against terrorism, both on its soil and internationally".
His primary task over the coming five years, he said, was to "calm people’s fears, restore France’s confidence, and gather all its people together to face the immense challenges that face us in the future".
"I will fight with all my strength against the division that is undermining and defeating us, and we will be able to restore to the French people the chances that France owes them. Let us love France. For the next five years, I am going with humility, dedication and determination to serve it on your behalf. Long live the Republic, long live France," the new French president concluded his speech.
Historic abstention rate
According to exit polls, the abstention rate is estimated at 25.3 percent, the highest since 1969 when the rate of abstention hit a record 31.1 percent with two centre right candidates: Georges Pompidou and Alain Poher.
Blank or spoiled votes are also estimated to reach an absolute record of about 12 percent which equals more than 4.2 million, or around 9 percent of all registered voters.
This is explained by the fact that several voters, in particular among leftist voters, refused to choose between Macron and Le Pen.
Macron, 39, becomes the youngest president of France's Fifth Republic.
The official results would be announced on May 10th by the President of the Constitutional Council, Laurent Fabius.
Macron will formally take office by mid-May and has to prepare for a two-round legislative elections in June.
Leaders respond to Macron’s victory
The U.S. President Donald Trump was one of the first world leaders to congratulate “Macron on his big win.”
“I look very much forward to working with him!” Trump posted on social media.
British Prime Minister Theresa May also congratulated Macron on his election success. “France is one of our closest allies and we look forward to working with the new president on a wide range of shared priorities,” she said in a statement.
Italian Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni also took social media to hail Macron: “Long live #Macron President! There is hope for Europe.”
German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s spokesman Steffen Seibert also congratulated Macron.
“Your victory is a victory for a strong united Europe and for German-French friendship,” Seibert posted on social media.
