Paris. Young Emmanuel Macron, a former investment banker, easily won the French presidential election on Sunday, defeating the staunch nationalist Marina Le Pen. Voters decisively rejected the latter's extreme right-wing proposition and supported Macron's call for a change in the middle position.
Macron, 39, who has never held public office before, will become the youngest president in the 59-year history of the Fifth Republic of France. He took a tendency in the election campaign and swept the French establishment.
This election has attracted the attention of the whole world, because it has amplified many greater tensions that have spread to western democratic countries, including the United States. This tension includes the anger of populists towards mainstream politics, the economic insecurity of the middle class in choosing people, and the growing hatred of immigrants.
Macron's victory greatly relieved the European Union, because Le Pen threatened to leave the EU. Macron advocates relaxing the labor law, making France more competitive globally and deepening its ties with the EU, which may make the global financial market no longer nervous about Le Pen's possible victory.
Le Pen's failure further shows that the wave of populism that drove Britain out of the EU and brought Donald Trump into the White House has been a spent force in Europe, and now it seems to be the same.
"Great glory, great responsibility," Macron said. He spoke to thousands of flag-waving supporters gathered in the Louvre Square via video link, and held a victory celebration there. "A new chapter has been opened."
According to the official counting data of the Ministry of the Interior, after half of the votes were counted, Mr. Macron got 62% of the votes and Ms. Le Pen got 38%.
However, this result is still a watershed for Le Pen's far-right party, the National Front, which gives the party new legitimacy, although the results show that most French voters still hate the party because it has always been anti-Semitic, supported racism and obsessed with Nazis in history.
The second round election made a choice between two political outsiders, which triggered a deep hatred between the two sides. In addition, like last year's US election, there was a cyber attack, and someone invaded the e-mail of Macron camp on a large scale, which was groundbreaking.
Although Macron won by a big margin, Le Pen's vote rate and the worst abstention rate since 1969 show that he faces many challenges in winning supporters to implement his plan.
Shortly after the French vote, Ms Le Pen admitted losing the election. She said that voters chose "conformity" and denied that Macron was an outsider, believing that he continued the outgoing Socialist government, which was once the Minister of Economy.
She said that for the National Front, the turnout rate has broken the record, which requires political parties to become a new "patriotic and Republican alliance", which is "the main opposition force against the new president."
She also said that there are new political differences between "patriots and globalists", and her party will be transformed into a new political force to speak for all those who voted for her.
According to Le Pen, preliminary results show that she will get 1 1 10,000 votes, twice as many as when her father Jean-Marie Le Pen lost to Chirac in the presidential election in 2002.
Le Pen is expected to get 38% of the votes, which is the highest record for the French to vote for her party.
For the first time, the candidates of the National Front were regarded as normal candidates, although the party originated from anti-Semitism and racism; This is different from 2002, when the candidates were second-class citizens, who were not allowed to participate in debates and make headlines in mainstream newspapers.
Obviously, Ms Le Pen has still failed to convince most voters that her party has really reformed. Obviously, Macron won many votes on Sunday, not out of support for him, but against Le Pen.
More than a year ago, Macron launched his own political movement "Forward". At first, his chances of winning were slim. France has never elected a president from outside the traditional political party. The president is either from the left-wing socialist party or the right-wing Republican party.
Macron's campaign timing is very good and lucky. The Socialist Party, which was in power under the current President francois hollande, collapsed, and the latter's support rate was so low that he unusually chose not to seek re-election.
The corruption scandal ruined the campaign of center-right candidate francois fillon. At first Fillon seemed determined to win, which helped Macron get help again.
Macron has begun to seek support in Parliament, where he has no political party.
His ideas seem to appeal to many urban voters and many young voters. His new political movement is neither left nor right, but both represent the third way.
Macron's supporters cheered loudly when the election results appeared on the big screen in the Louvre Square. Someone began to sing the French national anthem "La Marseillaise".
"This is a historic moment," said Jacques Pubny, 60, who came with his children Noel 1 1, Dora 12 and Aidan 13. "I experienced such a moment in 198 1," he said, referring to the election of Socialist President francois mitterrand.
"I'm very satisfied with the result, which is very, very important," Pubernie said of Macron's decisive victory.
For Murad Zheali, a 30-year-old engineer in Tunisia, this result feels like a personal affirmation. He acquired French nationality only a month ago. "I'm very touched," said Mr Zibari. "I saw France that accepted me."
"This is a great symbol of France. This is a sign of hope. Each of us has different opinions, but we all agree that we should not open our doors to extremes. "