World leaders congratulate Macron as he wins French election
He's the first President to win re-election in France for 20 years
Last updated 25th Apr 2022
Emmanuel Macron looks to have won a second term as French president after rival Marine Le Pen quickly conceded on Sunday night after exit polls showed a large win for Macron.
Leaders from around the world including Boris Johnson, Joe Biden and Nicola Sturgeon tweeted their congratulations.
Far-right nationalist Marine Le Pen conceded after polls suggested the incumbent had secured at least 57% of the vote.
The UK Prime Minister, calling France one of the UK’s “closest and most important allies”, said he was looking forward to working with Mr Macron on bilateral and global issues following his new mandate.
Writing on Twitter, Mr Johnson said: “Congratulations to Emmanuel Macron on your re-election as president of France.
“France is one of our closest and most important allies.
“I look forward to continuing to work together on the issues which matter most to our two countries and to the world.”
London and Paris have endured a tense relationship in recent years, with Mr Macron’s administration outspoken on post-Brexit fishing rights and the Conservative Party administration’s approach to tackling migrants crossing the Channel in small boats.
But with a second term likely to be confirmed by official results later on Sunday, the UK Government will likely be hoping it paves the way to work more constructively in future.
Labour and opposition leader Sir Keir Starmer also offered his congratulations to the 44-year-old, adding on Twitter: “The relationship between our countries is based on respect and allyship, and we look forward to that continuing.”
Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said she was “delighted” that her devolved administration could “continue to work in close partnership” with Paris on issues such as “climate change, biodiversity, culture and our common European values”.
If the projections hold, centrist Mr Macron would become only the third president since the 1958 founding of modern France to win twice at the ballot box, and the first in 20 years, since incumbent Jacques Chirac trounced Ms Le Pen’s father in 2002.
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