Emmanuel Macron has been re-elected for a second presidential term.

This is evidenced by the voting results given by the French Ministry of the Interior on the basis of counting 100% of the ballots.

The incumbent president of the Fifth Republic won 58.55% of the vote in the second round of elections, while his rival, the candidate from the right-wing National Rally party, Marine Le Pen, received support from 41.45% of the French.

Speaking after the announcement of the preliminary results of the vote, Macron stressed that the next five years of his presidency "will not be calm, but will be historic."

According to him, France will be the first of the great powers to give up oil, gas and coal.

“Thank you to everyone who gave me their trust in the first and then in the second round to realize our project of a more independent France, a stronger Europe.

Through deep change and investment, we will continue to make concrete progress for everyone, freeing creativity and innovation in our country, and making France a great environmental power,” said Macron, quoted by TASS.

He also noted that many French people voted for him because of their unwillingness to win the election of Le Pen.

“I know that many of our fellow citizens voted for me not because they support my ideas, but in order to put a barrier in the way of the extreme right,” the current head of state said, stressing that this imposes additional obligations on him.

Le Pen, in turn, admitted defeat, but called the result achieved "a brilliant victory."

“For us, as for millions of Europeans, this result symbolizes the strong dissatisfaction of the French with the current system.

They can't ignore it," Le Pen said.

The leader of the National Rally also fears that Macron will not do anything over the next five years of his presidency to overcome the split in French society.

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“In order to avoid this seizure of power by a limited group of people, I will continue to work more than ever for the good of France and the French,” she stressed.

Note that five years ago, during the voting in the second round, she lost to Macron with a score of 33.9%.

According to OpinionWay poll data for CNews TV channel and Europe1 radio station, 46% were in favor of Macron appointing Le Pen as prime minister, and 44% supported the candidacy of Jean-Luc Mélenchon, leader of the left-wing France Insubordinate party.

In addition, 63% were against Macron gaining a majority in the National Assembly after the parliamentary elections in June, while 35% were in favor, RIA Novosti reports.

Meanwhile, even before the official results were announced, protests and demonstrations began in major French cities.

In Paris, police used tear gas to disperse demonstrators who pelted them with bottles and other objects.

In Montpellier, a column of people in yellow vests walked through the streets with a banner, the inscription on which read: "Injustice is still here!".

In Toulouse, the motto of the demonstrators was the slogan "Neither Macron nor Le Pen - revolution!".

The protesters stressed that they would not abide by the election results and called on everyone to fight.

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In Rennes, the protesters began to build barricades and burn bonfires.

The police responded with tear gas.

In Nantes, about 500 people took to the streets without significant incidents.

Serious clashes between law enforcement officers and demonstrators were also recorded in Lyon.

The demonstrators fired fireworks at the building of the gendarmerie.