Emmanuel Macron thanked his supporters as he gave his victory speech in front of the Eiffel Tower.

To cheers from the crowd, Mr Macron said the result “makes me very happy”.

“When you really touch the heart, you can get to the truth,” he said.

He also said the next five years of his presidency would see “a stronger Europe” and thanked those who voted for him because they felt his re-election would act as “a barrier to the extreme right”.

“I am thinking of all those who abstained – we need to respond to this,” he added.

When his supporters jeered at a mention of Marine Le Pen, he said he had asked them not to do that.

He said the “anger” of those who voted for the far-right candidate must be addressed.

He conceded that France was “full of divisions” but said “no one will be left by the wayside”.