Macron May Have Beaten Le Pen, But The Far Right Gains Seats

French President Emmanuel Macron won a second term Sunday, triggering relief among allies that the nuclear-armed power won’t abruptly shift course in the midst of the war in Ukraine from European Union and NATO efforts to punish Russia’s military expansionism.

Photo Insert: A chorus of European leaders hailed Macron’s victory, since France has played a leading role in international efforts to punish Russia with sanctions and is supplying weapons to Ukraine.

The second five-year term for the 44-year-old centrist spared France and Europe from the seismic upheaval of having firebrand populist Marine Le Pen at the helm, Macron’s presidential runoff challenger who quickly conceded defeat but still scored her best-ever electoral showing, John Leicester reported for the Associated Press (AP).

Macron won with 58.5% of the vote to Le Pen’s 41.5% — significantly closer than when they first faced off in 2017. Macron is the first French president in 20 years to win reelection since incumbent Jacques Chirac trounced Le Pen’s father in 2002.

During her campaign, Le Pen pledged to dilute French ties with the 27-nation EU, NATO, and Germany, moves that would have shaken Europe’s security architecture as the continent deals with its worst conflict since World War II.

Le Pen also spoke against EU sanctions on Russian energy supplies and faced scrutiny during the campaign over her previous friendliness with the Kremlin.

A chorus of European leaders hailed Macron’s victory, since France has played a leading role in international efforts to punish Russia with sanctions and is supplying weapons to Ukraine.

“Democracy wins, Europe wins,” said Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez. “Together we will make France and Europe advance,” tweeted European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.

Italian Premier Mario Draghi called Macron’s victory “splendid news for all of Europe” and a boost to the EU “being a protagonist in the greatest challenges of our times, starting with the war in Ukraine.”

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