BELLWETHER: French Election: Macron Wins (France Takes the Easy Way Out)

Removal of the political risk investors had associated with Ms Le Pen - who had promised to take France out of the euro - prompted investors to refocus on economic fundamentals and the pace of monetary policy normalisation in Europe and the United States.

French researchers largely supported Macron, it seems.

The party, founded past year, will continue to campaign in legislative elections to take place next month.

If Macron's party performs poorly, he also could be forced to form a coalition government, a regular occurrence in many European countries but far less common in France. Socialist President Francois Hollande chose not to seek another term in office.

The president walked beside the 39-year-old Macron to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at the monument, where they laid a wreath.

Like the presidential race, France's legislative elections are split into two rounds. He said French voters are expecting something new.

May has called an early election for June 8, arguing that her Conservatives need a bigger majority in order to stand firm against - and strike deals with - the EU.

However, he will need to build support in the French legislature where his movement now has no representation.

Emmanuel Macron delivers a speech in front of the Louvre Museum in Paris, France, on May 7, 2017.

Had she won, she says she would have immediately worked to pull France out of the European Union and North Atlantic Treaty Organisation and put francs - and not the euro - back in the pockets of the French.

And pro-Brexit accounts joined in, including the official Leave.EU Facebook page which posted an image of the Eiffel Tower, captioned: "RIP France".

The vote brought to an end one of France's most divisive presidential campaigns.

He received altogether 264 valid votes, while his rival Marine Le Pen got only 50 votes.

"On an endless number of topics, [including] migration, health, the environment, and even the history of our country, the ideas disseminated by the National Front are in open contradiction with undeniable evidence established by research and with the necessary autonomy of the scientific community", the letter continued.

Mr Macron has said the defectors can keep their existing party membership and still run on his parliamentary ticket. Eleven votes were cast without designating a choice.

Despite the heated race between the two candidates, voter turnout in the election was down sharply on previous years, with only 66 per cent of people casting their vote.

She said she would seek to rename her National Front party, a measure of the extent to which her defeat rattled supporters who just weeks ago harboured hopes of capturing the Elysee Palace.

Fewer voters took part in the election than expected, possibly because of anger over the combative campaign and traditional politics.

Theresa May, UK prime minister, also congratulated Macron.

Britain's Nigel Farage led the campaign to leave the European Union in his country. He said Macron's victory will guarantee that Le Pen will win in the next election in 2022.

Those intimately involved in drawing up the Tories' campaign strategy have always been clear that they regard the question of who do you want negotiating with the European Union as their trump card. Mario Ritter adapted it with additional materials from AP.