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

UPDATES WITH EMMANUEL MACRON'S REMARKS, 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.”

He said he also knows that many people voted for him to “block the far right,” adding that “their vote places me under an obligation.”

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

He said he is going to turn the country into an ecologic republic.

The candidate of the far-right National Rally, Marine 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.