Emmanuel Macron won his bet. His party, En Marche!, which did not exist a year ago, has obtained an absolute majority in the French parliament.

With almost all the votes counted, the interior ministry said the President’s party had won 43 per cent of the vote, gaining 301 out of 577 seats in the National Assembly. Adding in the tally of En Marche!'s ally MoDem, and Mr Macron can command an impressive 350 seats.

At the En Marche! party's headquarters in the 15th arrondissement of Paris, the mood is not the same joyful celebration that greeted Mr Macron's own presidential election victory six weeks ago.

Turnout hit a record low of around 42 per cent, betraying a climate of fatigue and political disillusionment among the French people. It meant there were no screams of joy here on Sunday night, only subdued applause welcomed the results as they were broadcast on TV screens.

“It's not a political landslide, but it's balanced,” said Alexandra Laffitte, an En Marche! substitute candidate in the 9th district of Paris.

The activists are few, certainly compared to the journalists here to snatch their statements and document the denouement of this extraordinary political story.

Nina Halimi, a 27-year-old law student, hailed victory in the second-round vote: “This is a very good result, when not long ago it was predicted that Mr Macron would be unable to win a majority in the Assembly. It is a fair Assembly that respects democracy”.

Jonathan Kemma, a 28-year-old digital communication worker, said: “We have the majority to work and the opposition also exists, that's good news”, he says, convinced that if the majority had been too overwhelming, it would have been held against them.

Catherine Barbaroux, who replaced Mr Macron as the leader of the party, said they must move forward with an attitude characterised by three words: “lucidity, responsibility and humility”.

French Presidential Election Show all 20 1 /20 French Presidential Election French Presidential Election Voters line up to cast their ballots REUTERS French Presidential Election French expats queue along the street outside the Lycee Francais Charles de Gaulle to cast their vote in a polling station inside the school, in the first round of the 2017 French presidential election, in London, Britain April 23, 2017. REUTERS/Luke MacGregor - RTS13JM5 REUTERS French Presidential Election People line up to vote in the first round of 2017 French presidential election at a polling station in Vaulx-en-Velin near Lyon, France, April 23, 2017. REUTERS/Emmanuel Foudrot - RTS13HSP REUTERS French Presidential Election Police patrol polling stations in France REUTERS French Presidential Election Francois Fillon (L), member of the Republicans political party and 2017 French presidential election candidate of the French centre-right, casts his vote in the first round of 2017 French presidential election in Paris, France, April 23, 2017. REUTERS/Christophe Archambault/Pool - RTS13IH0 REUTERS French Presidential Election Benoit Hamon (C), French Socialist party 2017 presidential candidate, is surrounded by photographers as he leaves a polling station after voting in the first round of 2017 French presidential election in Trappes, near Paris, France, April 23, 2017. REUTERS/Vincent Kessler - RTS13I0Y REUTERS French Presidential Election French President Francois Hollande collects voting slips before casting his ballot in the first round of the 2017 French presidential election at a polling station in Tulle, France, on April 23, 2017. REUTERS/Georges Gobet/Pool - RTS13ITO REUTERS French Presidential Election A policeman walks by election posters near a polling station during the first round of 2017 French presidential election in Paris, France, April 23, 2017. REUTERS/Christian Hartmann - RTS13I3A REUTERS French Presidential Election Emmanuel Macron and wife Brigitte Trogneux REUTERS French Presidential Election Emmanuel Macron casts his ballot REUTERS French Presidential Election Emmanuel Macron, head of the political movement En Marche !, or Onwards !, and candidate for the 2017 French presidential election, waves hand during in the first round of 2017 French presidential election at a polling station in Le Touquet, northern France, April 23, 2017. REUTERS/Benoit Tessier - RTS13ICH SAA/ French Presidential Election Jean-Luc Melenchon, candidate of the French far-left Parti de Gauche and candidate for the French 2017 presidential election, leaves a polling booth in the first round of 2017 French presidential election at a polling station in Paris, France, April 23, 2017. REUTERS/Stephane Mahe - RTS13IKB REUTERS French Presidential Election Front National leader Marine Le Pen casts her ballot Marine Le Pen (L), French National Front (FN) political party leader and candidate for French 2017 presidential election, casts her ballot in the first round of 2017 French presidential election at a polling station in Henin-Beaumont, northern France, April 23, 2017. At R, Mayor of Henin-Beaumont Steeve Briois. REUTERS/Charles Platiau - RTS13IEI REUTERS French Presidential Election Early ballots are read as results continue to come in Reuters French Presidential Election Macron supporters react as results come in early in the evening AP French Presidential Election Supporters of Front National leader Marine Le Pen cheer as early results come in Reuters French Presidential Election Alamy Live News. J21KYW Paris, France. 23rd April 2017. Marcon supporters wave French and EU flags after the announcement that he is the leader in the exit polls after the polling stations have been closed. Supporters of Emmanuel Macron, the Presidential candidate from the social liberal political party En Marche! celebrate the exit polls, that see him in first place, ahead of Marine Le Pen from the Front National in the first round of the French Presidential election. Credit: Michael Debets/Alamy Live News This is an Alamy Live News image and may not be part of your current Alamy deal . If you are unsure, please contact our sales team to check. Alamy French Presidential Election Front National leader Marine Le Pen takes to the stage to address her supporters as fans cheer Reuters French Presidential Election Emmanuel Macron greets supporters on Sunday night AP French Presidential Election Emmanuel Macron and wife Brigitte Trogneux celebrate the incoming results EPA

“The abstention rate reflects the work ahead of us,” she said. Party leaders are under no illusions - Sylvain Maillard, a 45-year-old businessman elected by an absolute majority from the first round in Paris, admitted that they won because they “are the President’s candidates”, adding: “The French have backed the project of Emmanuel Macron. We must not deceive them, they voted for us because they expect change.”

“Many Frenchmen have turned away from political life,” he said, a sentiment reflected by the turnout. To remedy it, “it is necessary to reform”.

Alexandra Laffitte said obtaining a majority of deputies inferred a huge responsibility on En Marche! “Our responsibility is enormous because many French people are disappointed,” she said. “We must now talk to all those who are fed up with it and who no longer want to listen to us.”

Activists all agreed that they must get to work as quickly as possible. Ms Laffitte declared: “We have to be effective, it is an important parliamentary group, completely new, which we will have to organise very quickly”.

France’s Prime Minister said voters have given a clear majority to Mr Macron and his government.

Macron set for landslide victory in French parliamentary elections

Edouard Philippe, a centre-right politician who has joined En Marche!, said “through their vote, a wide majority of the French have chosen hope over anger”.

The elections saw far-right leader Marine Le Pen win her first parliamentary seat. The Front National (FN) leader claimed she won around 58 per cent of the vote in Henin-Beaumont in northern France, and her party looked on course to take eight seats in the French parliament in total.

Ms Le Pen said her party's representatives will “fight with all necessary means the harmful projects of the government”, despite falling well short of its target of a 15-strong parliamentary group.

She said they will especially fight against what she called Mr Macron's pro-European, pro-migrant policies.

The Conservative Republicains came a distant second with 22 per cent of the vote and 113 seats, while the head of the Socialistes quit after his party suffered a horrendous defeat. The party won just 6 per cent of the vote and 29 seats.

Jean-Christophe Cambadelis said that “Emmanuel Macron's triumph is uncontestable, the defeat of the left is unavoidable, and the defeat of the Socialist party is irrevocable”.