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Emmanuel Macron has vowed to defend France and Europe during a victory speech in Paris after beating Eurosceptic populist Marine Le Pen in the French election yesterday. Supporters of the pro-EU centrist are celebrating across France today after about 66 per cent of the country voted for his vision of a stronger EU and open economy. Ms Le Pen, who got about 34 per cent of the vote, has conceded defeat but vowed to fight on after the electorate rejected her plans to close France’s borders and leave the EU. After the French election result was warmly welcomed by world leaders and EU officials, here are live updates, the most recent results and breaking news.

GETTY Mr Macron gave a speech to his supporters at the Louvre in Paris

Monday May 8 10.30am BST: Ms Le Pen came out top in only two departments - Pas-de-Calais and Aisne in the northern region of Hauts-de-France. 9am BST: Emily Mansfield, lead France analyst for the Economist Intelligence Unit, tweeted: “Regional breakdown of votes by commune isn't too dissimilar from the 1st round.” 8.30am BST: With all the votes now counted, Mr Macron has won 66.1 per cent and Ms Le Pen has taken 33.9 per cent. The new French president got 20.75 million votes and his far-right rival took 10.64 million votes, according to France’s Interior Ministry. ELECTION RESULTS MAP There were also a record 12 million abstentions. Back in 2002, Jean-Marie Le Pen lost the election badly with just 17.8 per cent, or 5.5 million votes. For a breakdown of results in each area of France, click on the online map of the French election results on the Interior Ministry website. 4.19am BST: Mr Macron's victory has been greeted with a mixed reaction in the French national press on the morning after the election. Le Figaro incorporated the name of Macron’s En Marche! movement on their front page with the headline “La victoire en marchant’, or ‘Victory walking’. Le Parisien opted for “39 years old and president!”, while regional newspaper la Nouvelle République went with the controversial headline “The audacity”. Le Courrier Picard, a regional paper that circulates in areas where Ms Le Pen was more popular, described Mr Macron’s victory as a “winning bet”. Meanwhile Le Télégramme, a regional paper in northwestern France, called Mr Macron’s win “a lightning conquest”.

French Interior Ministry Emmanuel Macron came top in every department of France apart from two

Reuters

12.47am BST: It has emerged that the Ms Le Pen may have technically come third because there were so many absentions and spoiled ballots. Early polls suggest the far-right candidate has only secured a dismal 34.5 per cent of the vote, while her rival Emmanuel Macron soared to victory with 65.7 per cent of the vote. As Ms Le Pen "congratulated" the newly-crowned French president in a "cordial" phone conversation, reports showed the number of voters who spoiled their ballot papers and abstained from voting topped the defeated right-wing candidate’s total number of votes. 10:45pm BST: Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has told Mr Macron: “Let’s meet soon and keep working to grown and strengthen the deep ties between Canada and France.” 10:30pm BST: The Front National has criticised Mr Macron’s choice of entering the Louvre to Beethoven's symphony, the anthem of the European Union. 10:10pm BST: Mr Macron said to his supporters that he will ensure there is no reason to vote for extremists as he vows to unite the nation. After his speech, he is joined on stage by his wife and team.

Regional breakdown of votes by commune isn't too dissimilar from the 1st round. Le Pen won only 2 départments: Pas-de-Calais and Aisne pic.twitter.com/OUgPFtLxGb — Emily Mansfield (@erm3114) May 8, 2017

9.40pm BST: Mr Macron addresses his supporters at the Louvre in Paris saying "Everyone said to us it was impossible, they didn't know France." 9.30pm BST: Mr Macron and the German Chancellor Angela Merkel have spoken on the telephone. The new president said he would visit Berlin shortly. 9.20pm BST: The Figaro’s Guillaume Tabard said: “Macron is the one who has captured the desire for radical change.” 8.40pm BST: France’s new first lady Brigitte Trogneux, 64, is celebrating with her 39-year-old husband and former student. WHO IS BRIGITTE TROGNEUX? 8.07pm BST: In his victory speech, Mr Macron thanked voters and vowed to defend France and Europe saying "our civilisation is at stake". "A new page in our long history has been turned tonight," he told the nation. "I want it to be that of rediscovery of hope and trust." 8pm BST: Mr Macron is on stage and about to give his victory speech after getting messages of congratulations from world leaders. 7.30pm BST: German Chancellor Angela Merkel's spokesman has congratulated Mr Macron on his overwhelming victory.

Reuters

"Your victory is a victory for a strong united Europe and for the Franco-German friendship," tweeted Steffen Seibert. 7.25pm BST: EU leaders have breathed a sigh of relief and congratulated Mr Macron on his victory. European Council President Donald Tusk said: “Congratulations to French people for choosing Liberty, Equality and Fraternity over tyranny of fake news.” 7.20pm BST: Theresa May has "warmly" congratulated Mr Macron on his victory and said she was looking forward to working with him. 7.10pm BST: Ms Le Pen has conceded defeat saying France has "voted for continuity" but vowed to fight on. “I call on all patriots to join us,” she said. “France will need you more than ever in the months to come.”

The Front National figurehead said she has congratulated Mr Macron, adding: "I would suggest that we should have a deep transformation of our movement." 7.02pm BST: Mr Macron has won the French election and is set to get 65.5 per cent of the vote. Ms Le Pen is projected to take 34.5 per cent. Mr Macron had argued that the Front National candidate was a "high priestess of fear” who wanted to take the "fatal step" of leaving the eurozone. In turn, Ms Le Pen has accused the former banker of “savage globalisation” and a poor record as outgoing President Francois Hollande’s economy minister. 7pm BST: The French election result is about to be announced. The polls have closed in France. 6.50pm BST: Mr Macron has won with 66 per cent of the vote, according to an early exit poll from Ifop, with just 10 minutes to go until the result.

PA Getty Emmanuel Macron and Marine Le Pen are battling for the presidency today

6.40pm BST: Mr Macron will give a victory speech at the Louvre if he wins as expected. Sound tests have already taken place. 6.35pm BST: An average of early exit polls puts Mr Macron at 64 per cent and Le Pen at 36 per cent. 6.30pm BST: Initial results, which are usually very accurate, will be published as soon as the last polling stations close at 7pm BST. 6pm BST: Polling stations in much of France have just closed. But other polling stations in big cities will stay open until 7pm BST. 5.45pm BST: Mr Macron is “not at all a fan of Brexit” and is against giving the UK any kind of special exit deal, according to Anand Menon, director of the UK in a Changing Europe initiative. Mr Menon said: “It’s great if he wins because that prevents the far right from winning. But it is not going to make our lives any easier in Brexit negotiations.” WHAT MACRON MEANS FOR BREXIT? 5.40pm BST: Pollsters predict that final turnout will be between 73 and 75 per cent, down from about 80 per cent or more in the past four elections. 5.25pm BST: Mr Macron's odds of winning have shortened to 1/25, while Ms Le Pen has drifted to 22/1, according to Betfair.

Reuters Emmanuel Macron waves from a car window after returning to Paris

French flags (and some Euro flags) waving at the Louvre with just 25 minutes to the announcement. Macron supporters cheering already. pic.twitter.com/OnQZAecEeC — Oliver Gee (@olivergee23) May 7, 2017

5.20pm BST: The Belgian public broadcaster RTBF says the surveys taken today have put Mr Macron's share of the vote at between 62 and 67 percent. Belgian media has published what they said were surveys by four unnamed pollsters among people who had voted or intended to vote. There is a media blackout in France until polls close at 7pm BST. The intitial results are expected to reveal the new president soon after. 5pm BST: Reporters from a number of media outlet are reportedly being kept out Ms Le Pen’s election night event due to “security reasons” or “lack of space.” 4.50pm BST: French prosecutors have launched a probe into the hacking of Mr Macron's campaign e-mails just days before the French election. 4.30pm BST: Mr Macron is set to win with around 60 per cent of the vote, according to Belgian newspaper Le Soir. The centrist won support among voters abroad and in French territories, according to Le Soir, citing a poll carried out today. Belgian outlets are leaking the poll results this afternoon but there is a media blackout in France until polls close due to electoral rules. 4.20pm BST: Mr Macron was seen waving from a car window in Paris after returning from his hometown of Le Touquet where he voted earlier.

EPA Emmanuel Macron's campaign will celebrate at the Louvre if he wins the French election

4pm BST: Ipso’s Sopra estimates that abstention will be 26 per cent during the vote today. Turnout figures show 65.30 per cent participation at 5pm local time (4pm BST), the Interior Ministry said. In turnout was about 72 per cent at the same time in 2012, a 75.1 percent turnout in 2007 and a 67.6 percent turnout in 2002. 3.55pm BST: Ms Le Pen's odds have drifted out to 18/1 this afternoon from 15/1 this morning, according to Betfair. Mr Macron has shortened into 1/20 from 1/18. 3.50pm BST: "The major political risk of a Le Pen victory appears to be disappearing,” said Francois Savary, chief investment officer at Prime Partners told Reuters. "We increased our equity exposure and added some French stocks after the first round.” 3.10pm BST: The pound lifted against Europe's single currency ahead of France's second and final round of voting in its presidential election. Mr Macron’s victory is priced in so the euro will take a heavy hit if Ms Le Pen manages to pull of a shock victory like Donald Trump. 3pm BST: Money is flooding in for a Le Pen shock win despite her rival Mr Macron being the clear favourite to claim victory, say betting markets. Oddschecker spokesman Sam Eaton said: "Trump himself has been one of two major political betting shocks in the last couple of years, the other being Brexit. "Even though the odds of another upset are a lot steeper, surprisingly a lot more people are backing another shock result in the French Election than in the US last year.

AFP Getty Emmanuel Macron votes in Le Touquet and Marine Le Pen votes in Henin-Beaumont

2.20pm BST: All the way from the International Space Station, French astronaut Thomas Pesquet tweeted: “I voted by proxy, so there’s no excuse!” 2pm BST: Mr Macron is now the 1-16 favourite to win the French presidential election with less than four hours to go until polls close, according to bookmaker Coral. He is odds-on at 1-2 to pick up between 60 to 70 per cent of the vote, while he is 5-2 to gain between 50 and 60 per cent. "The betting suggests Macron is on course to win the French election with between 60 and 70 per cent of the vote share this evening,” said Coral's John Hill. “The race between the two candidates was very close before the first round of voting but since then it has been all one-way traffic for Macron as punters are convinced he will become the youngest ever French president.” 1.45pm BST: The French Embassy in the UK said that turnout at 1pm was nearly the same as first round in London and increasing outside the capital in Birmingham and Leeds. It added: “But keep coming and voting! There is no queue at the moment in both location in London. Do not wait till the last minute!”

Reuters Emmanuel Macron's 64-year-old wife Brigitte Trogneux casts her vote

Getty Security staff clear the Louvre courtyard following a bomb scare

1.35pm BST: Jean-Marie Le Pen, 88, has launched an attack on his own daughter, claiming she is “ungrateful” and lacks the qualities to become president. “She has character; she doesn’t lack that,” the Front National founder told the Sunday Times. “But you also need other qualities.” Nevertheless Mr Le Pen has called on voters to back his daughter in the French presidential election. 1.30pm BST: The next President of France is set to be named when the initial results come in at 8pm local time as the last polls close in France (7pm BST). 1pm BST: The courtyard of the Louvre Museum – where Mr Macron was expected to celebrate the result today – was evacuated due to a bomb scare earlier today. "Following the detection of a suspicious bag, the 300 journalists (who were processing their accreditation), were asked to leave the area for security reasons and taken to a different area," said an official from Macron's campaign. 12.30pm BST: Turnout rate at noon was 28.23 per cent. It is thought that high level of abstention would benefit Ms Le Pen. WHEN IS THE ELECTION RESULT?

Getty

In 2012 the figure was 34.1 per cent and in 2007 it was 34.1 per cent at the the same time on polling day. Although turnout is slightly down on previous two elections, it is on a par with turnout at noon in the first round, according to Emily Mansfield from the Economist Intelligence Unit. “Le Pen is looking to at least double her father's 18% share of the vote in 2002. Much below 40% will be seen as a disappointment,” she tweeted. “Macron will be hoping to get over 60% of the vote, in line with the latest polls, to give him a clear mandate for his programme.” Noon BST: Mr Macron looks almost certain to win the French election despite the political upsets in the EU referendum and US election last year, according to Betfair. Betfair spokeswoman Naomi Totten said: “Macron is now trading at 1/18 which implies a 94% chance of winning. “Bet with the results of the US election and Brexit last year fresh in punters’ minds they are still backing Le Pen, with two thirds of bets coming in for the outsider.”

Ipsos This is the verdict of the final Ipsos poll ahead of the vote today

10.45am BST: Ms Le Pen has now voted at a polling station in Henin-Beaumont - one of her strongholds in the 'rust belt' in north-western France. 10am BST: Topless protesters have unfurled a banner saying: 'Marine in Power, Marianne in despair' in reference to the national symbol of the French republic. Police arrested the protesters after the demonstration took place just a few blocks from where Le Pen is voting in Henin-Beaumont, Northern France. 9.45am BST: Mr Macron, 39, and his wife Brigitte Trogneux, 64, have voted in his hometown of Le Touquet. The ex-banker was greeted well-wishers on the way. 9am BST: President Francois Hollande has been pictured casting his vote in at Tulle. The socialist leader has already stated his intention to back Macron. 8.15am BST: The final polls have shows Macron has a 23 to 26 percentage point lead over Le Pen. 7am BST: Voting stations have opened. It's estimated around 50,000 police officers are on duty amid hightened security risks. 6am BST: The French people are going to the polls today, just two days after a shock leak of data from Mr Macron's campaign. Mr Macron's grassroots movement En Marche! declared: "It’s not just an act of piracy but a clear attempt to destabilise the French presidential election."

Getty This map shows how Marine Le Pen and Emmanuel Macon divided France in the first round