UPDATE 2 - French President Emmanuel Macron wins 2nd term in office

UPDATES WITH MORE REMARKS FROM MACRON, MINOR EDITS

By Ahmet Gurhan Kartal

PARIS (AA) - Emmanuel Macron has won his second term as French president, according to exit polls on Sunday’s run-off election.

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

Macron entered to the special area prepared for his speech in front of the Eiffel Tower with Beethoven’s “Ode to Joy”.

“Merci,” Macron started thanking his followers in his victory speech.

“A majority of you have chosen to place your confidence in me for another five years”, he said, adding that: “I know what I owe you.”

“After five years of transformations, happy and difficult hours, this day of April 24, a majority of us have chosen to trust me to preside over our Republic for the next five years,” Macron said.

“I know that many of our compatriots voted for me today, not to support the ideas I hold, but to block those of the far right. I want to thank them here and tell them that I am aware that their vote binds me for years to come.”

Macron said: “Today, you have chosen a humanist project, ambitious for the independence of our country, for Europe, ambitious in its values, social and ecological, a project based on work and creation.

“This project, I want to carry it with force for the years to come, taking into account the opposition that has been expressed and with respect for differences.”

- ‘We have so much to do’

Macron acknowledged the “disappointment” of Marine Le Pen supporters but added that he is the president of all.

“We have so much to do,” he continued.

“The war in Ukraine is there to remind us that we are going through tragic times when France must show the clarity of its voice, and build its strength in all areas, and we will do it,” the French president said.

“No one will be left by the wayside.”

“This new era will not be the continuity of the five-year term that is ending,” he added.

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

With the Sunday’s result, Macron has become the third ever French president who won two consecutive terms, following Jacque Chirac and Francois Mitterrand.

According to the exit polls by Franceinfo, an estimate of 28.2% of the electorate did not cast their votes.

The official results of the final round of presidential election will be released on April 27.

* Cindi Cook in Paris contributed to this story