Emmanuel Macron will be the next president of France, according to the preliminary results of the second round of the French election.

The centrist candidate defeated his hard-Right challenger Marine Le Pen with about 58 per cent to 42 per cent of the vote, the predictions said.  

The result was greeted by a torrent of boos at Le Pen’s election headquarters in the West of Paris. 

Outside the Eiffel Tower, 3,000 of Mr Macron’s supporters cheered as the preliminary results were announced

I am so proud to serve once again, Macron says as speech ends.

"Vive le Republic et vive La France," he says as he closes his victory speech, where he said France was racked by divisions. Mr Macron was close to tears at the end of his address.

La Marseillaise, the national anthem, is now being sung. Mr Macron is standing in front of an illuminated Eiffel Tower with his wife Brigitte.

Mr Macron says he will try to unify a divided France. 

"I am a warden also of the divisions that were expressed and the differences between us.  Every day, every second I shall make sure that I respect everyone.  We will continue to work towards a society that is fairer for everyone," he tells the crowd. 

"Dear friends we must also be careful and respectful, because our country is full of division [...] therefore we must be strong.  No one will be left by the wayside," he said.

Macron thanks those who voted for him to stop Le Pen

"I also know full well that many people tonight voted for me not to support my ideals to block the far right  And I want to thank them tonight.  I want to tell them that I understand the duty that comes with that vote for the coming years," he says

Mr Macron also refers to those who abstained from voting. 

"I am everyone's president," he said before telling those who vote for the "hard-Right" he understands their anger.

"I know what I owe you," he tells his adoring crowd and vows to 'make Europe stronger'

The crowd chants "And one, and two, and five more years."

Thank you dear friends', Macron says. 

The victory speech begins. "Before anything else let me say thank you," he says.

Macron victory is "great news for all of Europe'

"The victory of Emmanuel Macron in the French presidential election is great news for all of Europe," said Mario Draghi, the prime minister of Italy.