EMMANUEL Macron has beaten Marine Le Pen in Sunday’s French election and taken more than 65 per cent of the vote, according to exit polls.

Polling conducted by Ipsos, Ifop and BVA all gave Mr Macron, the centrist pro-business candidate, a strong lead over Le Pen, the right-wing firebrand.

Supporters of the new President – who formed his party just 12 months ago and has no MPs – gathered at the Louvre in Paris ahead of the announcement and erupted in cheers waving the tricolour flag as it was announced.

“Tonight France won,” he told thousands of people there who had been singing the national anthem and dancing in the squares while waiting for him.

“Everyone told us it was impossible, but they don’t know France,” he said, before vowing: “I will serve you with love.”

Mr Macron was joined on stage by his wife, Brigitte Trogneaux, her children and around 20 volunteers for the movement that has become a phenomenon in the last 12 months, catapulting him into the Elysee Palace.

Friends danced and hugged each other, thrilled with the result they saw as hope triumphing over fear.

“I’m happy Macron won because he’s not racist,” one man known only as Fofana told news.com.au.

En Marche! volunteer, Luca Jaouem, 19, said he was “very glad” to see the result. “He’s going to renew the government and the institutions, that’s what France needs,” he said.

US President Donald Trump and UK Prime Minister Theresa May also offered congratulations.

“Congratulations to Emmanuel Macron on his big win today as the next President of France. I look very much forward to working with him!” Trump said

Another young supporter Corentin, 18, had voted for the first time having worked for the campaign for nine months. “I’m very happy France chose the right guy,” he said. “[Marine Le Pen] is not how we want France represented.

Others were not so convinced, with some opting to “vote blanc” in protest and leave their ballot blank. Romain, 25, said he decided to abstain after watching the last debate and despairing at the state of the candidates.

“The last debate was rubbish,” he said.

“Macron was much more credible but I think he’s the same program [as the Socialist government under Francois Hollande]. I’m sure Marine Le Pen will lose because a great part of France is against the Front National ideology and also because she lost the debate she’s not about to win the election.”

In a solemn address at his campaign headquarters following his historic win, Macron said he would “fight the divisions” in the country after a campaign that laid bare the “anger, anxiety and doubts” of many voters.

“I will fight with all my strength against the divisions that are undermining us,” he said.

“A new page in our long history is turned this evening. I want it to be one of hope and re-found trust.”

Emmanuel Macron addresses France: "A new page in our long history is turned this evening. I want it to be one of hope and re-found trust." pic.twitter.com/OkBm2KB3iB — CNN (@CNN) May 7, 2017

Meanwhile, Le Pen claimed a “historic, massive result” for the far right in the presidential run-off, despite being soundly beaten.

But, she added, her National Front party needed to undergo a “profound transformation” in order to create a “new political force”.

Le Pen said she had called Macron to wish him success.

“I called Mr Macron to congratulate him on his election, and because I have the country’s higher interest at heart I wished him success faced with the huge challenges France is facing,” she told supporters at a post-election gathering in Vincennes near Paris.

Marine Le Pen proposes that "we embark on a completely new phase for our party, which the French want" as estimates predict Macron victory pic.twitter.com/Bof8M4eq5z — CNN (@CNN) May 7, 2017

The 48-year-old nationalist said her tally made the the National Front the country’s “biggest opposition force” and announced she would lead it into the June general elections.

Le Pen said the contest against the pro-European Union Macron had confirmed a new fault line “between patriots and globalists”.

“I suggest we begin a profound transformation of our movement to create a new political force,” she said, adding: “I call on all patriots to join us.”

‘I CANNOT BE RACIST’

Near the Chalet du Lac restaurant nestled in leafy Vincennes Woods, Marine Le Pen supporter Mark, 53, told news.com.au he has spent 10 years supporting the National Front working for the DPS [Department for Security Protection] where he travels the country with a 60-strong group providing security in exchange for just a food allowance.

The burly man in a baseball cap who has spent 22 years in the army said he’s bothered by the “racist” labels the party attracts which are impossible” for him given his mother is Vietnamese.

“I cannot be racist, it’s impossible,” he told news.com.au. “It breaks my heart, it’s not true. Even in we have coloured people. No problem.”

Failing a win for Le Pen on Sunday, he’s considering asking the transportation company he works for if he can be transferred to the US to live under President Trump.

“I love Trump. He’s a real right winger, he’s not a tricker,” he said, adding that he was hopeful but realistic about Le Pen’s chances.

“In my mind, I know she won’t be elected,” he said. “The French people are too stupid. They don’t understand the reality of life”.

“It’s a very, very sad day for my country. [Macron] works for the big banks, big corporations. With him the rich will be more rich, the poor will be more poor.”

It’s a hope shared by another volunteer who did not want to be named.

He’s more optimistic about Le Pen’s chances and wants to “have faith” she will prevail against the “socialist” establishment.

“Little by little they open their eyes,” he said. “They see the situation is not getting any better, but worse and worse.”

“If we have the possibility to be free again we would gladly stay in the European Union, just a new European Union.

Its’s a sharp contrast to some of Paris’ young people who said they would vote Macron or not at all in the divisive election that has seen their preferred candidate, Jean Luc Melenchon, eliminated in the first round.

“[Melenchon] is more humanist and ecologically conscious,” said Anna, 24, from Rennes. When asked about the prospect of the Le Pen victory she said: “It’s not possible. I think it will be a rebellion.”

Nodding at the picturesque restaurant set in a large park she has chosen for her party she said: “I’m not happy she’s here. It’s weird.”

The choice is between the National Front’s Marine Le Pen, 48, and Emmanuel Macron, 39, of En Marche! after candidates from both major parties were ousted.

The bitter campaign suffered a final twist on Friday when unverified documents purporting to show Mr Macron has offshore bank accounts were anonymously dumped online, minutes before a blackout period prior to the election.

The timing and nature of the leaks — similar to those seen during the US election campaign which embarrassed the Democratic candidates — have Mr Macron’s camp calling themselves the victim of a “massive and co-ordinated hack” thought to be part of a Russian disinformation campaign.

Russia has denied any involvement and France’s electoral commission have warned media not to publish details. The documents are believed to contain some genuine and some fake information to deliberately muddy the waters.

FUTURE OF EUROPE

Polls show Mr Macron well ahead, expected to gain around 60 per cent of the vote compared to around 40 per cent for Le Pen.

However the fact that the National Front candidate has received so much support has seen the election dubbed a referendum on the future of the European Union (EU).

While Macron is pro-EU and wants reform and even greater integration in some areas, Ms Le Pen is openly hostile — calling for a “Frexit” and a return to the French franc. She has previously said she will try to renegotiate French treaties with Brussels before holding a referendum on membership.

Immigration and unemployment have also been major issues in the campaign, against the backdrop of Islamic State inspired terror attack s France has suffered in recent months.

Ms Le Pen wants to regain control of French borders and cut immigration to 10,000 a year while keeping the retirement age at 60.

She has accused Mr Macron of being weak on terror and domestic sovereignty. During a televised debate this week she said whatever the result, a woman would be running France “me or Mrs Merkel” in reference to German chancellor Angela Merkel.

Former investment banker Mr Macron has vowed to drag France’s economy into the 21st century and allow businesses more freedom to negotiate the 35-hour working week. He also wants to cut 120,000 public sector jobs and has built his campaign around the idea of hope and change, taking inspiration from his backer, former President Obama in 2008, who weighed in to support him on Friday.

THE BIG UNKNOWN

Turnout will be a major issue during Sunday’s vote, with high abstention rates likely to favour Marine Le Pen whose voters are seen to be more motivated.

The other big unknown is the 20 per cent of voters who chose far-left candidate Jean Luc Melenchon in the first round. He also had an anti-EU stance and it’s unknown whether his supporters will turn to the far-right instead of Macron on Sunday.

Former Republican candidate Francois Fillon and socialist candidate Benoit Hamon have urged their supporters to back Mr Macron.

For whoever wins, the hard work is only just beginning as both are rank outsiders in the French legislative assembly. Mr Macron has no MPs, having formed his party only 12 months ago, while Ms Le Pen has just two.

Either way, the vote has already made clear that voters are unhappy with the French status quo and the new occupant of the Elysee Palace will have a mandate for major change to the European Union as we know it.