Emmanuel Macron has comfortably won re-election to a second term as French president.
The result triggered waves of relief among allies that the nuclear-armed European Union nation will not abruptly shift course in the midst of the war in Ukraine from EU and Nato efforts to punish and contain Russia's expansionist military attacks.
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, Mr Macron's presidential run-off challenger who quickly conceded defeat but still appeared on course for her best-ever electoral showing.
