Emmanuel Macron Set To Win Second Term

French President Emmanuel Macron garnered about 58% of the vote in the runoff against his right-wing rival Marine Le Pen, exit polls showed.

• While early projections will be revised as the vote count progresses, the gap is wide enough to virtually guarantee Macron's re-election.
• Le Pen conceded defeat right after the exit polls came out, but still claimed that the result was a victory for her political movement.
• Once Macron's victory is officially confirmed, he will become the first French President in two decades to win re-election.
• The odds of Le Pen beating the incumbent were rather thin and her victory would have had grave consequences for politics in Europe and beyond.
• The abstention rate was estimated at around 28%, quite high by local standards, reflecting public disillusionment with mainstream politics.
• Health Minister Veran told BFM TV that "there will be continuity in government policy because the president has been reelected. But we have also heard the French people's message".