France’s far-right candidate concedes defeat to Macron in elections

By Shweta Desai

PARIS (AA) - French far-right presidential candidate Marine Le Pen on Sunday conceded defeat and said that the number of votes she received represents a “victory in itself.”

Early exit polls suggest that incumbent President Emmanuel Macron has won his second term.

Macron, the candidate of his La République En Marche! has received 58.2% of the total votes in the election with the lowest ever turnout since 1969.

Le Pen, the candidate of the far-right National Rally, received 41.8% of the votes, the highest in her previous unsuccessful presidential bids.

"This result is testimony to the great distrust of the French people towards them," the National Rally candidate said in a speech at the end of the polling.

“A great wind of freedom could have risen over the country. The fate of the polls decided otherwise," she added.

She assured the French of not getting dejected with the loss and leaving the political battlefield. She announced that she will continue to fight in the forthcoming legislative elections in June.

“I will never abandon the French," she added.