Emmanuel Macron has been elected French president, defeating Marine Le Pen, the far-right nationalist who had threatened to take France out of the EU.
Macron’s emphatic victory will bring huge relief to European allies who had feared another populist upheaval to follow Britain's vote to quit the EU and Donald Trump's election as US president.
With virtually all votes counted, Macron topped 66 per cent against just under 34 per cent for Le Pen - a gap wider than the 20 or so percentage points that pre-election surveys had suggested.
Even so, it was a record performance for the Front National which has now claimed the mantle of France's main opposition. Le Pen’s tally was almost double the score that her father Jean-Marie, the last far-right candidate to make the presidential runoff, achieved in 2002.
Le Pen will now have to work to try to convert her presidential result into parliamentary seats.
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Macron’s success was greeted by senior EU political figures but is tempered by an abstention rate on Sunday of around 25 per cent, the highest in France this century, and by a record share of blank or spoiled ballots - submitted by more than 11 per cent of those who did vote.
Macron’s immediate challenge will be to secure a majority in next month's parliamentary election for a political movement that is barely a year old to implement his programme.
Macron will become France's youngest leader since Napoleon. A 39-year-old former investment banker, he served for two years as economy minister under outgoing president François Hollande but has never previously held elected office.
Le Pen, 48, said she had also offered her congratulations. But she defiantly claimed the mantle of France's main opposition in calling on "all patriots to join us" in constituting a "new political force.
Hollande, who brought Macron into politics, said the result "confirms that a very large majority of our fellow citizens wanted to unite around the values of the Republic and show their attachment to the European Union".
Macron was due to attend a ceremony marking the Western Allies’ World War Two victory in Europe on Monday. The ceremony in Paris marks the 72nd anniversary of the victory over Nazi Germany in 1945.
Macron will become the eighth - and youngest - president of France's Fifth Republic when he moves into the Élysée Palace after his inauguration next weekend.
EU reaction to Macon’s success was swift with Jean-Claude Juncker, president of the European Commission, telling Macron: "I am delighted that the ideas you defended of a strong and progressive Europe, which protects all its citizens, will be those that you will carry into your presidency."
Leading centre-right MEP Françoise Grossetête said, “I am pleased that Marine Le Pen and the ideas she represents have been beaten. After five years of calamitous socialism, which led the extreme right to the gates of power, it is Emmanuel Macron's task to bring together a divided, fractured country and restore confidence in the future.”
The French deputy added, “In the interest of France and the French, I can only hope that he will succeed in this mission. However, Emmanuel Macron must understand that he does not yet have carte blanche. On security, immigration, identity, family, labour values, the right-wing, which I know are numerous in our country, are making their voice heard. For this, we need a strong majority of the right and centre in the National Assembly, capable of exerting a constructive but demanding opposition.
To this end, I will support the centre-right ‘Les Républicains’ candidates in the legislative elections in order to promote our values.
The ECR group in parliament issued a statement congratulating Macron and adding, “We may not agree on everything but we both believe our future should be built on hope rather than fear.”
It went on, “We also both understand the need for a deep but constructive reform of the EU to create an organisation that is accountable, listens and reacts to the wishes and needs of ordinary people.”
Further MEP comment on the outcome of the election came from Nigel Farage, former UKIP leader and current president of the Europe of Freedom and Direct Democracy group in parliament, who said, “Macron offers five more years of failure, more power to the EU and a continuation of open borders.”
Farage predicted, “If Marine [Le Pen] sticks in there, she can win in 2022.”
GUE/NGL group leader in the European Parliament Gabi Zimmer said French voters had taken a “decisive stand against the Front National and their racist ideology, against the despicable ideas of the wealthy Le Pen clan and against an extreme-right President for France.”
The German deputy added, “French voters have ensured that minorities and migrants, people who look, think or love differently than what the Front National wants, will not have to fear social exclusion and systematic discrimination by the presidency during the next five years.”
“Macron must take heed of the growing split in French society and in the EU; a split that for years has been exploited by right-wing extremists and nationalist groups. He must close the gap between rich and poor, city and countryside, natives and migrants. To continue neoliberalism is not at all the answer."
“At the EU level, Macron must take a stand against neoliberalism, failed austerity policies and destructive social and economic imbalances. Without a social and democratic Union, the European project is bound to fail.”
Elsewhere, Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel who, speaking of Macron’s success, commented, "More than an accession to the head of France, it is also a clear rejection of a dangerous retreat plan for Europe that triumphs tonight.
“After the victory of Mark Rutte in The Netherlands, after the collapse of UKIP in the local elections in Britain, France opts for a project geared towards better Europe.”
Michel believes "the victory of Emmanuel Macron must be an opportunity to gather all the good will to re-enchant the European project. Europe is a political and strategic asset. It must become a real added value for our fellow citizens. We must also continue and strengthen the close cooperation between our two countries for security and the fight against terrorism.”
Michel met Macron a few weeks ago where he discussed the EU’s future and has now invited him to Brussels “to concretely formalise a set of proposals that should make it possible to consolidate and strengthen the European project while facing many challenges.”
More reaction to Macron’s victory came from European Green Party co-chairs Reinhard Bütikofer and Monica Frassoni who said it spelt “good news” for France and for Europe.
In a statement issued on Monday, they said, “Just like many citizens, Greens breathe a sigh of relief that a clear majority of French voters rejected the extreme right of Marine Le Pen.
"Macron's victory left the door open for the necessary changes for our common European project. But it’s too early to cry Hosanna: the real fight still lies ahead. Macron will have to show how far he is able to translate the trust which this election has invested in him into effective reforms at the French and European levels.”
"Macron in his campaign did not give high priority to environmental and other Green issues. They did still play a role and will have to be made an integral part of any progressive agenda. France and Macron cannot turn their back to the Green transition, if they want to cope with social and environmental challenges. We Greens will continue to fight for these changes, as a partner where possible and as an opponent where necessary."
Secretary general of the Council of Europe, Thorbjorn Jagland said, “It is a relief to know France will continue to promote European values and human rights.”
In a letter, European council president Donald Tusk told Macron: “France has always played a central role in the construction and development of the EU. With you as president, I am confident that France will continue to contribute constructively in solving our common challenges and maintaining our unity. France is essential for Europe, as Europe is for France. I look forward to welcoming you at our next meeting of the European Council.”
In a statement, BusinessEurope, which represents the business community at EU level, said the French people had voted for a “better Europe and against isolation.”
The organisation’s President, Emma Marcegaglia said Macron’s “strong and clear vote in one of the EU’s largest founding countries opens the door to moving the European project forward.
“We are sure that France will strengthen its role in creating a strong and competitive Europe. The European business community has an ambitious goal for Europe and stands ready to support the necessary steps forward,” she added.
Macron will be the youngest leader in the current Group of Seven (G7) major nations and has elicited comparisons with youthful leaders past and present, from Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to British ex-premier Tony Blair.