French election: Five takeaways as Macron re-elected president

euronews.com:

French President Emmanuel Macron won a clear victory in the high-stakes presidential election that once again pitted him against far-right challenger Marine Le Pen.

But he inherits a fragmented country, with Le Pen increasing her vote share compared with 2017. Macron acknowledged on Sunday that many French people voted for him only to block the far-right from governing the country and not in support of his programme.

"We must my friends be benevolent and respectful because our country is steeped in so much doubt and so much division," Macron said in his victory speech.

Here are key takeaways from France's election night.

Emmanuel Macron was re-elected president with 58% of the vote, marking the first time in 20 years that a French president has won another term in office.

He won with less support however than in 2017, when he defeated Marine Le Pen with 66% of the vote.

It showed nonetheless there remains an effort among French voters to block the far-right from power in a "Republican front".

"The Republican front is alive and kicking, but it's less alive and each time it's less alive than in the previous elections," said Antonio Barroso, managing director at global advisory firm Teneo.

In his victory speech on Sunday, Macron acknowledged that many people voted for him to block the far-right from governing the country.

"I know that many compatriots voted to block the ideas of the extreme right, I want to thank them and tell them that I am aware that this vote obliges me for the years to come," Macron said, speaking about their "sense of duty" and "attachment to the Republic".

He added that he knew it was his responsibility to find answers to the "anger" that led millions of French people to vote for Le Pen.

Marine Le Pen called her