Macron vows to heal France’s divisions after victory over Le Pen

(May 8): Emmanuel Macron pledged to unite France’s rifts after his victory over Marine Le Pen in the presidential election, saying that he’ll work to address the concerns that were exposed during one of the most divisive campaigns of recent history.

The president-elect made his comments in a speech to supporters at his campaign headquarters in Paris less than an hour after Le Pen conceded the election. With counting still underway, projections by France’s four main pollsters put Macron on course to take about 65% of the vote in Sunday’s runoff to 35 percent for the far-right Le Pen.

“I know that there is anger, worry and doubts that many of you have expressed,” said Macron, 39, pledging to “fight with all my energy against the deepening divisions” in French society. Addressing a rally outside the Louvre museum later, he added: “I will do everything in the next five years so that they have no more reason to vote for extremes.”

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