French President Emmanuel Macron has been re-elected for a second term, defeating his far-right challenger, Marine Le Pen, by a comfortable margin.
Cheers of joy erupted as the results appeared on a giant screen at the Champ de Mars park at the foot of the Eiffel tower, where Mr Macron's supporters waved French and EU flags.
People hugged each other and chanted "Macron".
In his victory speech, Mr Macron acknowledged many had only voted for him solely to keep Ms Le Pen out, and he promised to address the sense that many French have that their living standards are slipping.
"Many in this country voted for me not because they support my ideas but to keep out those of the far-right. I want to thank them and know I owe them a debt in the years to come," he said.
"No one in France will be left by the wayside," he said.
In contrast, a gathering of dejected Le Pen supporters erupted in boos and whistles at a sprawling reception hall on the outskirts of Paris.
The first pollsters' projections showed Mr Macron securing around 57–58 per cent of the vote, while Ms Le Pen only took out 42 per cent.
Such estimates are normally accurate but may be fine-tuned as official results come in from around the country.
Mr Macron is the first French president in 20 years to have secured a second term in office, and his centrist government will remain in power for the next five years.
Riot police charged and sprayed tear gas on demonstrators in central Paris who were protesting after the announcement of the result.
Police sought to break up a crowd of mostly young people who had gathered in the central neighbourhood of Chatelet to protest, images on Twitter showed.
Between the first round of voting and Sunday's runoff, students protested outside the Sorbonne in Paris and other universities, expressing their disillusionment with the choice on offer.
'French first' Le Pen remains too extreme for many
Mr Macron will join a small club — only two French presidents before him have managed to secure a second term in the past 20 years.
But his margin of victory looks to be tighter than when he first beat Le Pen in 2017, underlining how many French remain unimpressed with him and his domestic record.
That disillusion was reflected in turnout figures, with France's main polling institutes saying the abstention rate would likely settle around 28 per cent, the highest since 1969.
Two years of disruption from the pandemic and surging energy prices exacerbated by the Ukraine war catapulted economic issues to the fore of the campaign.
The rising cost of living has become an increasing strain for the poorest in the country.
Against a backdrop of Russia's invasion of Ukraine and the ensuing Western sanctions that have exacerbated a surge in fuel prices, Ms Le Pen's campaign homed in on the rising cost of living as Mr Macron's weak point.
She promised sharp cuts to fuel tax, 0 per cent sales tax on essential items from pasta to nappies, income exemptions for young workers and a "French first" stance on jobs and welfare.
Mr Macron meanwhile pointed to her past admiration for Russia's Vladimir Putin as showing she could not be trusted on the world stage, while insisting she still harboured plans to pull France out of the European Union — something she denies.
In the latter part of the campaign, as he sought the backing of left-leaning voters, Mr Macron played down an earlier promise to make the French work longer, saying he was open to discussion on plans to raise the retirement age from 62 to 65.
In the end, as viewer surveys after last week's fractious televised debate between the two testified, Ms Le Pen's policies — which included a proposal to ban people from wearing Muslim headscarves in public — remained too extreme for many French.
World leaders congratulate Macron
Prime Minister Scott Morrison joined European and other leaders in congratulating Mr Macron on his re-election, praising it as a "great expression of liberal democracy".
Mr Macron was scathing of Mr Morrison after the federal government cancelled a $90 billion submarine contract in September.
Mr Macron accused Mr Morrison of lying to him about the state of the French contract before a deal was announced for the US and Britain to supply Australia with nuclear-powered submarines.
Mr Morrison denied misleading Mr Macron, who refused at the time to take the Australian leader's phone calls.
"We wish you [and] France every success, in particular your leadership in Europe and as an important partner to Australia in the Indo-Pacific," Mr Morrison said on Twitter after the incumbent's victory became clear.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, meanwhile, called Macron "a true friend of Ukraine" and expressed appreciation for his support.
Tweeting in French, Mr Zelenskyy said: "I'm convinced that we will advance together toward new joint victories. Toward a strong and united Europe!"
Mr Macron has sought a diplomatic solution to Russia's war in Ukraine. France has also sent significant weapons to Ukraine and Mr Macron is planning more.
Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz were also among European leaders and politicians who congratulated Mr Macron.
Mr Johnson, who has often sparred with Mr Macron over Brexit and other issues, said he looked forward to continuing to work together.
"Your constituents also sent a strong commitment to Europe today. I am pleased that we will continue our good cooperation!" Mr Scholz said on Twitter.
Italian Premier Mario Draghi said Mr Macron's victory "is splendid news for all of Europe".
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen tweeted in French, "together we will make France and Europe advance".
The Dutch Prime Minister also tweeted in French his hope to "continue our extensive and constructive cooperation in EU and NATO".
Parliamentary elections to shape Macron's next term
Mr Macron can expect little to no grace period after many — especially those on the left — only voted for him reluctantly, to block the far-right from winning.
Stark political divisions have been brought into the open by an election in which radical parties scored well, and many expect the street protests that marred part of his first term to erupt again as he presses on with pro-business reforms.
How Mr Macron now fares will depend on the looming parliamentary elections.
Ms Le Pen wants a nationalist alliance in a move that raises the prospect of her working with rival far-right figures such as Eric Zemmour and her niece, Marion Marechal.
Hard-left leader Jean-Luc Melenchon — who emerged as by far the strongest force on the left of French politics — said he deserved to be prime minister, something that would force Mr Macron into an awkward and stalemate-prone "cohabitation".
Le Pen to continue despite defeat
Ms Le Pen admitted defeat but vowed to keep up the fight, with the June parliamentary elections in mind.
"I will never abandon the French," she said to supporters, who were chanting, "Marine! Marine!"
"I fear that the five-year term that is about to begin will not break with the brutal methods of the previous one.
"In order to avoid the monopolisation of power by a few, more than ever I will pursue my commitment to France and the French people with the energy, perseverance and affection that you know me for."
Mr Zemmour said it was time for the right of politics to come together.
"We must forget our quarrels and unite our forces. It is possible, it is essential, it is our duty," he said.
"The first coalition of the right and patriots, so that the elected representatives of the National Rally of France Upstanding and those of the (conservative) Republicans who do not want to rally behind Emmanuel Macron is a chance to do so.
"It is the eighth time that the Le Pen name has been hit by defeat."
ABC/Wires
