Emmanuel Macron has been projected as the winner of the presidential election in France, defeating far right-wing candidate, Marine Le Pen.
According to the projection by pollsters, Opinionway and the French Institute of Public Opinion (IFOP), Macron is expected to take around 57 to 58.2 percent of the votes, while Le Pen will get around 42 percent.
Pollsters are individuals or organisations that collect, analyse and present data from a poll — in this case, an election.
French pollsters typically release election result projections when polls close in major cities based on data from voting units that close at 7pm. This is usually done hours before the French interior ministry releases official results.
Following the announcement of the projected win, Macron delivered a speech to his supporters in Paris, thanking them for backing him and expressing his commitment to addressing the country’s problems.
“After five years of happy transformation and difficult challenges, this day, a majority amongst us chose to trust me to pilot the republic for the next five years. I want to thank all of the activists, all of the workers, all of the people along with us for the ride, and all of the elected officials who supported me and made this election possible. I know that you have given so much of your energy, your effort, to this endeavor,” he said.
“I want to thank all of the French people, who at the first and second rounds of the presidential election, placed their trust in me so together we can undertake our project to make France more independent, Europe stronger, and through investments and changes, continue to implement change that is relevant for everyone by freeing creativity and innovation in our country and making France a great, green nation.”
Le Pen also delivered a speech conceding defeat, while also celebrating her “historic score” in the vote.
“A great wind of freedom could have blown over our country; the fate of the ballot box wanted otherwise. The results of tonight represent a shining victory,” she said.
“In this defeat, I can’t help but feel a form of hope. This result constitutes for our French leaders as for the European leaders the testimony of a great mistrust of the French people towards them which they cannot ignore and that of the widely shared aspiration of a great change.”
