Emanuel Macron has been elected as the new President of France. Macron won by 66.06% to 33.94% to become, at 39, the country's youngest president, in an election considered to have been decisive for France and for Europe
Mr Macron will be the first French president from outside the two traditional main parties since the modern republic's foundation in 1958.
He said that a new page was being turned in French history. "I want it to be a page of hope and renewed trust," he said.
Updated at 13.00 GMT
Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia were among the countries that sent warm messages of greetings to the new French leader.
President Serzh Sargsyan of Armenia said in his message:
"I am confident that during your tenure in office, exceptional relations between our two countries, based on the centuries-long Armenian-French friendship, high-level vigorous political dialogue, multifaceted economic cooperation, and dynamic cultural ties will continue to develop and deepen.
Armenia highly values important and continuous efforts of France made together with other Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group - United States and Russia, aimed at a peaceful resolution of the NK conflict and establishment of a lasting peace in our region."
President Ilham Aliev of Azerbaijan in his message to president elect Macron said,
I attach great importance to bilateral and multilateral relations between Azerbaijan and France. Mutual high-level visits, expanding fruitful cooperation in various fields, multilateral cultural ties - particularly describing the 25-year history of the Azerbaijani-French diplomatic relations. I believe that the relations of friendship and cooperation between our two countries through the joint efforts will continue to develop and expand in the interests of the two peoples.
France is also the co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group for settlement of the most painful problems of the region - the Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. As a result of the military aggression of the Armenian armed forces in our occupied historical lands - Nagorno-Karabakh and adjacent 7 regions of the policy of ethnic cleansing was carried out, more than a million of our compatriots have become refugees and IDPs.............. I attach particular importance to the efforts of France, and I hope that these efforts will finally contribute to a fair settlement of the conflict. Azerbaijan's position is that the conflict must be resolved only in accordance with international law and within the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan."
The Georgian Prime Minister, Giorgi Kvirikashvili, used twitter to send a public congratulations to the new French leader'
Congratulations to @EmmanuelMacron & #France. Looking fwd to cooperate & further deepen relations btwn our countries #frenchelection2017
— Giorgi Kvirikashvili (@KvirikashviliGi) May 7, 2017
source: commonspace.eu
